Liga – Atlético wins with difficulty in front of Cadiz (2-1) before facing Manchester United, Griezmann disappoints

No bad joke. Atletico Madrid seized the opportunity to temporarily take a five-point lead over Betis and thus consolidate their presence in the Top 4 by overcoming Cadiz (2-1) at the Wanda Metropolitano on Friday evening. Alvaro Negredo responded to Joao Felix’s opener, but the last word went to Rodrigo De Paul in the second half. Transparent, Antoine Griezmann was replaced on the hour mark.

The challenge of this meeting was twofold for the Colchoneros: to maintain the pressure on FC Barcelona – while taking five points from Betis – and to prepare well for their Champions League Round of 16 second leg against Manchester United (Tuesday at 21 hours). Joao Felix had these imperatives in mind and opened the scoring very early in the match by punishing an error by Jeremias Ledesma (1-0, 3rd).

After the Portuguese’s sixth achievement in the league, Atletico Madrid stopped playing and contented themselves with fending off opposing offensives in a role they mastered to perfection. Diego Simeone’s men did not shoot on goal, except for Yannick Ferreira Carrasco’s attempt, which looked more like a vicious center than a strike (24th). But Cadiz did not pose as an expiatory victim, despite its unenviable status of first relegation.

De Paul’s first goal

The Gadinatos made the game in the first half, accumulating up to 65% possession after 20 minutes. Their sixth attempt was the right one: Alvaro Negredo, inserted in the middle of José Maria Gimenez and Reinildo, placed a nice header in the small right net of a helpless Jan Oblak just before the break (1-1, 44th).

Same scenario in the second act: Atletico Madrid showed nonchalance, Antoine Griezmann, non-existent, left on the hour mark and it was finally the entry of Angel Correa who settled the situation. The Argentinian is behind Rodrigo De Paul’s winning goal – his first in the league – his shot having been pushed back in the middle by a decidedly uninspired Ledesma (2-1, 68th). And if Cadiz exerted continuous pressure on Oblak’s goal, the Colchoneros held on, despite the red card from Javi Serrano collected a few minutes after his appearance on the lawn (88th). Before leaving on injury, José Maria Gimenez, he had repelled a recovery from Luis Hernandez with a header on his line (74th).

With this far-fetched victory, Atletico Madrid is sure to keep its place in the Top 4 at the end of the 28th day of La Liga and even temporarily doubles FC Barcelona. The Colchoneros can now look into their trip to Manchester. However, it will be necessary to offer a better face to Old Trafford to consider qualification for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.