Direct Narration and statistics
At any other time in Simeone's decade, his Atlético would have been stuck between the suffocating and uncomfortable net that Granada had prepared.
But this team, which travels at full speed through the League, with record numbers, has the necessary arguments to never give up.
One is Marcos Llorente, who just as he obeys orders to join the cause as a full back, appears powerful when the situation is complicated for his team.
It's a bit like Mr. Wolf from Pulp Fiction: "I solve problems."
His left foot split the board, his spirit conquered Los Cármenes.
The other ingredient, of course, is fortune.
The luck of the champion, it is said.
Correa's claw would have remained an anecdote had he not mediated Vallejo's foot (1-2).
Atlético dodged the Nasrid pit where, news, Luis Suárez was not decisive.
This time it was Llorente.
Neither Atlético came out to see them come in the Nuevo Los Cármenes nor Granada shrugged off the leader.
Two teams shaken by the enthusiasm and strength of their coaches.
Two Diegos, Martínez and Simeone, who were shaking the board after each gesture of the rival.
In Madrid, for example,
Yannick Carrasco
, back after overcoming the coronavirus, woke up in the center, interpreting what Lemar had been doing, separated by Covic, he appeared for a while on the right flank and ended up lying down again in the left band.
In all places it was a headache for Granada.
He doesn't care a bit.
Much of the imagination of his team sprouted from his boots.
Neither Correa nor Luis Suárez appreciated his ideas at the start.
Hermoso
also returned
(also after overcoming the coronavirus) and did so in time to maintain the line of three centrals, since an injury had previously KO
Giménez
.
And the return of the left-handed central, another of the fashionable names of this course, was also appreciated.
Apart from his recovered defensive security, it was the germ of Atlético's first occasion, that of Correa.
Its precise long displacement is another of the good resources that this team has.
The virus, including a stomach virus that removed
Vitolo
at the last minute
, did not allow Simeone to vary his score excessively.
He was counting on just enough.
The intensity of Granada
But Granada, as intense as usual, hardly got nervous.
It didn't matter that the ball wasn't his.
On the contrary, much better.
He even peeked around the Oblak area.
He lacked the poison that Atlético's previous rivals had had and, after a month, the Slovenian goalkeeper went into the break without conceding a goal.
Curious that it is news.
Under the sun of the Andalusian city, both took a break as if nothing had happened.
By the time the game woke up again, Simeone had already wagged his slate.
Kondogbia
, who continues to add merits to be the lung of the athletic
midfield
, stayed on the bench and
Vrsaljko
recovered the classic drawing, with two pure lanes.
Luis Suárez's
first tic
when leaving the locker room was to send a ball to the crossbar, with a shot that only he could sign.
Between
Germán
and
Vallejo they
did not let him breathe.
And when they did, after a corner, the trigger failed.
Granada had responded to two lashes and a clearance from Oblak that left him sore.
Brazilian
Kenedy
, always threatening with his left, was the was stiff again and again with beautiful.
A lucky break
When Atlético's doubts began to assail him, after an hour bouncing around the ring, Marcos Llorente appeared, who mutates into the Hulk when he has no reins.
His left hand broke in, from outside the area, and found the only corner where there was any oxygen.
Four of his seven league goals came from his left boot.
It was a fleeting joy.
A couple of plays later,
Yangel Herrera
went through the Oblak wall again, which has been cracked for more than a month.
Granada had responded to the hook with a direct blow to the face.
But the leader, with the soul of granite, far from awakening, again clung to Llorente.
His insistence and the umpteenth deflection towards the baseline discovered
Correa
in the area, whose shot, without a better solution, was fortunately found with
Vallejo's
foot
, which poisoned the ball and ended up relieving Atlético.
Plays that decide championships.
Granada never allowed a break to the leader, whose bench, conditioned by six casualties, forced them to an extra effort.
They squeezed those of Diego Martínez from set pieces and those of Simeone remained standing, who await a good handful of battles as harsh as the one they left behind.
There is no feat without suffering.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
sports
First division
football
LaLiga Santander 2020 - 2021A flight, a doubtful side and Luis Suárez: this is how Simeone made Atlético de Madrid 2.0
LaLiga Barça confirms March 7 as the date for the elections
LaLiga Santander 2020 - 2021The happy birthday of Luis Suárez and the GPS that 'reveals' Joao Félix
See links of interest
2021 business calendar
Baskonia-Joventut, live
RB Leipzig - FC Augsburg
Bologna - Benevento
Celta de Vigo - Elche
Granada CF - Atlético de Madrid, live