Direct Narration and statistics
"Against everything", that new mantra that accompanies Atlético, implies losing Lemar at the last minute, staying on the road without Joao Félix, the name with the most pedigree, and watching Trippier go to the stands with his back shattered.
"Against everything", with Vitolo and Correa leading the attack, Atlético defended a leadership that is sustained with a brief point over Real Madrid.
Same as a week ago, only with a different shield on the back.
Precisely the Argentine's boots could have written another ending.
But ... At Villamarín, the rojiblancos caught a point and a few upsets.
With what they put on, they stumbled again (1-1) and their breathing is perceived accelerated in this suffocating sprint that they have ahead.
And that Atlético seemed to dawn with the necessary energy to change its reality.
It did not take five minutes to dismantle the rear of Betis.
Between Joao Félix, Correa and
Carrasco
, the final finisher, they threw themselves into the mountains to seize again, with force, the leadership lost the night before.
The Portuguese, after two games absent, put his imagination, the Argentine, the canchera mischief and the Belgian, the temperance to stamp his signature.
Nothing better than a good drink to straighten out a night that had started something crooked, with that unexpected loss of Lemar, essential in the vital signs of a team, Simeone's, which, despite the turbulence, pursues a happy outcome.
Without
Luis Suárez
and
Marcos Llorente
, that is, the two executioners of Betis in the Wanda Metropolitano, Atlético tried to show that they have another plan.
He started fast and convinced, after spending a night dismounted from the lead due to the victory of Real Madrid in the classic.
The response from
Pellegrini's team
, on an impeccable mat where there was not a single '9', came in a very similar way to the one that had received the initial blow.
Only that the magic was put by
Joaquín
, 18 years older than Joao, the center was drawn by
Álex Moreno
and hit, by surprise, like a shadow between the three athletic centers, was put by
Tello
, whom Giménez did not see coming.
The ball moved gracefully on the green.
Betis did it, trained by its coach to that intense handling of the ball.
And when he played, with
Herrera
, the starter after four months between injuries and coronavirus, and
Koke
at the helm, so did Atlético.
Carrasco, whose absence was accused by his team, a week earlier at the Pizjuán, a few kilometers from Villamarín, stole the goal from
Emerson
when he thought he was ready to beat Oblak again.
With the Belgian's lungs his team also breathes.
At times, Correa thought he was in his hometown, as if he were in full party with his friends.
He had to act as a center forward.
Although Angelito does things his way.
Away from the melee, where he has little to gain, he threw deception and speed to find a way to goal.
On
Saúl's
head
, freed from any corset, another twist of Atlético's destiny was written.
Claudio Bravo did not tremble.
And when rest was already looming, Simeone found another unforeseen event.
Joao Félix had the rifle loaded on the front and
Mandi's
boot
ended up hitting his right ankle.
The same one that was damaged with the national team and that prevented him from playing a week ago at Sánchez Pizjuán.
He wanted to try the Portuguese after the break, but he barely stayed on his feet for a couple of minutes.
Without him, the light on his team dimmed.
So Atlético had to readjust again.
Another twist to a drawing already battered by absences.
With a 4-4-2 and
Vitolo
and Correa up, the leader insisted on recovering the pace in the League.
Last night, more than ever, "against everything", in his attempt to finally wake up.
Oblak's hand, Correa's occasion
Oblak
took out the occasional hand with which to keep his team safe.
As he unfolded it before the young
Laínez
, who could not believe that a goalkeeper could reach that corner.
And when the Slovenian was not there,
Giménez
appeared
, miraculous, to leave
Fekir
with a span of nose.
Betis went on the counterattack with a cruising speed, taking advantage of the needs of the rojiblanco team to find a goal with which to move away as much as possible in the classification to Real Madrid and Barcelona.
But the script still had a new twist in store for Simeone.
Trippier
threw himself into the meadow with his back sore from a previous collision with an opponent.
So
Vrsaljko
, after a month and a half without playing, settled into the right lane.
Shortly after entering, the Balkan hit a ball in the face that left him half dizzy.
His coach, seeing him get up, breathed a sigh of relief.
Last night the Argentine feared the worst every time he saw one of his own on the ground.
Atlético barely generated a notch with which to hurt Betis.
He had reached Seville and left with an even thicker list of casualties.
He had to entrust himself to
Vitolo
, with only nine minutes behind him in the last four months.
Almost nothing.
Still, Correa would still have time to stir with a final whiplash that made Simeone jump in the band.
Atlético, battered, left Seville back up to the lead, but with the feeling that it is fairer than its rivals.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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