Who once were the same club in different cities, reached their fratricidal duel sharing hardships and joys. Eight goals scored and five conceded in both lockers, reflecting the shared difficulties to see goal and the solvency with which they abort the attempts of others. Balance that did not please the respective hobbies, declined after the beginning of the season in which the future seemed more flattering than it was until now.

In the presence of this, half-full glasses (or half-empty) seems reasonable to keep what works and find alternatives for what does not start. It was what Simeone did, rescuing Correa from oblivion to seek imbalance in attack; It was what Garitano did not do, placing Núñez instead of the usual Yeray in the center of the defense for no apparent reason, ruling out (in principle) that the demands of the Spanish international to seal his renewal have an influence on the coach's plans. And it was precisely that pairing that marked the development of the match, broken by the superiority of the Argentine over the Spanish that allowed Atlético to score two goals that could well be three.

It is still curious that whoever took Atlético from the league minicrisis in which he was, three draws in a row and without winning at Wanda for almost two months, was a footballer installed throughout the summer on the exit ramp. The Argentine had to leave, and fill the red and white coffers onerously, so that Rodrigo Moreno would take the AVE in the direction of Madrid and round off the mattress attack, but he did not, because no one met the economic demands of Atlético. So he stayed and first suffered the ostracism of being the last in line, then appeared dropper by the casualties in attack and now claims with weight arguments a leading role. Because he had already started twice, before Celta and Leverkusen, but in none of them he managed to leave his mark.

A performance for debate

Last night he did, adding two assists, used by Saul and Morata to seal the local victory before Simeone took it out in the field past the meeting time for Herrera to spread more cement. A performance, that of Correa, who again questions Simeone's original commitment to an eleven type in which Diego Costa and Morata share space in attack. In the absence of Griezmann, (very) good is Joao Felix. And in the absence of Portuguese, Correa asks for his turn.

The other important difference last night between Atlético and Athletic, as expected, resided in the goals. As much as Oblak and Simon are fighting for the Zamora trophy, the reality is that a world separates both of them today. While the Slovenian saved two frank shots of Iñigo Martínez and Raúl García in the first half, the Alavés ate a side center and played to protect a ball over the sideline against Koke. In the goals, everything is written, little can be reproached.

The sum of factors led to Atlético advancing on the scoreboard, a situation in which Simeone's feel very comfortable and to which Athletic rarely finds an answer. Because one more meeting the difficulties of those of Garitano were verified to alter in their favor the dynamics of the parties. There are already five days without winning for the Bilbao team and their drought at home is eternalized, much as the first part in the Wanda was the best of the season as a visitor. It didn't help.

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  • Diego Simeone
  • Atlético de Madrid
  • Athletic Bilbao

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