Madrid (AFP)
Thanks to a still decisive Angel Correa, Atlético Madrid dominated the promoted and relegated Huesca 2-0 on Thursday for the 31st day of La Liga, and took first place three points ahead of Real Madrid (70 pts), winner 3- 0 in Cadiz on Wednesday.
No Luis Suarez, Joao Felix, Thomas Lemar?
No problem.
After his double in Sunday's demonstration against Eibar (5-0), Correa followed up with a goal from the left from entering the area just before the break on Thursday against Huesca, and is asserting himself as an interesting offensive alternative in l absence of the three attacking stars.
The Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco, at the end of the match, sealed the success "rojiblanco" by pushing into the opposing net a ball offered on a plate by Marcos Llorente (81st).
Thanks to the little Argentinian elf, the Madrilenians are now provisionally eight points ahead of FC Barcelona (4th, 65 pts), which receives Getafe Thursday evening at 22:00 (20:00 GMT) and which has one game less.
Author of seven goals this season in the league, Correa had not found the net since February 13 in Granada, before this good passage since Sunday.
Despite the absentees, the game went off without a hitch for Diego Simeone's men, who were no longer worried after the opener ... but were scared before.
Huesca goalkeeper Alvaro Fernandez had the merit of maintaining the hopes of his family, with an exceptional save on a recovery from Madrid captain Koke in the 50th.
A nice response to the parade of his "rojiblanco" counterpart Jan Oblak at the very start of the game, on an attempt by Dimitrios Siovas (4th).
With this success, Atlético still believes in their chances for a La Liga title, but the race remains very close between the four leading teams.
And for Huesca, this setback does not quite condemn the promoted to a relegation in D2, but blocks him in the red zone, at a point of the first non-relegation, Valladolid (17th, 28 pts), who hung the draw 1-1 the day before in Elche.
© 2021 AFP