Griezmann leads Atlético’s exhibition in Zorrilla

Four days after handing a blank set to Sparta Prague, Atlético dealt a surely definitive blow to Uruguayan Paulo Pezzolano’s project in Pucela and showed that it is willing to fight for the League against Barça and Real Madrid. It is true that the atmosphere at José Zorilla is one of civil war between the fans and the Castilian club, but Simeone’s team has been transformed since it bordered on ridicule at Benito Villamarín and now it does perform with the greatness that should be demanded by squad, budget and fans. There are optimists who already define the Argentinized Madrid team as the ‘Mechanical Asadito’. Cholo, of course, doesn’t even want to hear it.

Atlético now has seven wins in a row, they deploy with a different formation, a 4-4-2 that at times transforms into a 4-3-3, they play at a very high pace and are forceful. His display was such that the disenchanted local fans applauded Griezmann’s great goal at the start of the second half and applauded the French star when he was substituted with the dispute already resolved. This Atlético is what was expected after its summer signings, which together with the Catalans’ decline has allowed it to cut eight points off the leader and be just two behind.

After a few hesitant opening stages, with a couple of gross errors in Giménez’s exit and a failed clearance in Rodrigo de Paul’s own area, Atlético immediately smelled blood in Zorrilla and went in search of a dying rival. Valladolid has very little to hold on to, perhaps only Raúl Moro, but it must be very difficult to start the battle against a great team at home and with your fans against you. Yes, because Saturday night’s event began and continued marked by cries of ‘Directive, resignation!’ and ‘Ronaldo, go home!’ To add insult to injury for the locals, the Belgian Amallah was injured very soon, leaving room for the Croatian Juric.

The colchoneros imposed themselves in all facets, tactically, technically and physically. And above all they had more ambition, more faith, more confidence in themselves. They scored three goals in the first act and there could have been two more because Giuliano had one disallowed for a knee and Giménez another for a previous offside kick. Cholo’s son is not a paragon of virtues, but he makes up for a certain lack of quality with an intensity that is contagious. As if acting on behalf of his father, he runs everything, fights everything, and appears in any area of ​​the field. A permanent nuisance for his rivals.

two worlds

It took Atlético a little while to break the albivioletas, but as soon as they did it gave the feeling that they could score as many goals as they wanted. The first came after a fatally defended strategy action that ended with a tense pass from Llorente between the defense and the goalkeeper, which Lenglet finished off at will. The French central defender made his debut as a red-and-white striker. Far from taking its classic step back, Atlético went to knock out a groggy opponent.

Giuliano’s disallowed goal preluded the second. El Cholito struck with the faith that his defender lacks, Hein rejected Griezmann’s shot and Julián Álvarez finished off at will. Ten goals already from the Spider, five of them in the League. Immediately afterwards, a huge visitor combination, a pass behind from Javi Galán, Griezmann letting it pass and De Paul not forgiving in the ‘putt goal’ with the inside. Giménez still scored in the extension with his head, but the action was invalidated from the VOR room.

The duel resumed, now a mere formality, with some changes. Significantly, Pezzolano even retired Raúl Moro, his best man. In case there was any doubt, Griezmann scored the fourth. It was an extraordinary one-two with Julián that the Frenchman completed after a kind of oriented control with his heel and a left-footed finish on the Estonian goalkeeper’s exit. One of the goals of the championship. Koke, who has gone from being a main actor to a supporting actor, joined Correa and the scorer Sorloth, and a little later Lino, but the event was already being played almost to the benefit of inventory on the stage where Atlético won its last League in May 2021 and, due to Covid, he celebrated with his people in the parking lot.