Athletic resuscitates and takes advantage of Atlético’s step back to come back

After Unai Simón’s own goal, caused by a header from a corner from Joao Félix, Athletic came back to life and took advantage of Atlético’s usual and fateful step back when they took the lead. The well-deserved comeback of the reigning Super Cup champion, who will play his first final in this competition against Real Madrid on Sunday, was forged in just five minutes, thanks to two set pieces that once again portrayed the lack of concentration and defensive weakness of an Atlético that this season is not at all reliable and is incapable of successfully closing the games. Not even when half a title is at stake, as happened in a Super Cup semi-final in which the defending champion won a prize for his ambition and drive against an Atlético who trembled again in the face of corners and fouls and was buried by a couple of accurate shots from Yeray, headed, and Nico Williams, who sentenced with his left foot after a rebound.

Atlético continues without learning from its mistakes and does not stop falling into the bad habit of dedicating itself to trying to defend a minimal advantage, this time successfully achieved at game time, and from that moment on letting itself be dominated and overtaken by an Athletic who, as soon as he saw himself from behind on the scoreboard and verified the conservative intentions of Diego Pablo Simeone’s team, smelled the blood and did not stop until he turned the scoreboard. Oblak could not save Atlético, because although the Slovenian goalkeeper signed after saves, he did not prevent the hard-fought triumph of an Athletic team that once again threw pride and forcefulness into the corners in the opposite area.

Athletic did not stop looking for him since Atlético took the lead, which crashed again in the defense of the set pieces and unfortunately exhibited its recurrent containment plan that was once again destined to fail. On this occasion, however, the fiasco was quite painful, to prevent Atlético from repeating the Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia against Madrid two years later and clear the way for an Athletic that, marked by Marcelino’s character of never giving up defeated, he reacted with courage and daring. Quite the opposite of Diego Pablo Simeone’s team, who once again showed cowardice and hit another resounding blow.

As he had rehearsed, Simeone returned to the defense of three centrals, but what really surprised him was with the entry into the eleven of Joao Félix, who at the first time he had, at seven seconds, controlled and scored, but what made offside. The Portuguese striker, with freedom of movement, was the one who put his talent at the beginning of a match in which Atlético went up to the final whistle from more to less, going from a hopeful and ambitious start to waiting behind an Athletic that is He overturned in the recovery of the ball and was growing in control and dominance, although without any depth.

Sparks without force

However, the only clear chance to score Athletic in the first half was from Iñaki Williams, who forgave only against Oblak, well placed to clear the dangerous arrival of the Bilbao striker. Atlético, on the other hand, had some more at the beginning of the match in which the Correa-Joao Félix duo generated many doubts in the rear of Marcelino’s team. There were also a couple of possible penalties in both areas, from Berenguer to Lemar in minute 6 and shortly after Kondogbia to Sancet, who did not come into play too much, with Athletic very slow in the preparation and handcuffed by a defense that, a Again, he conceded more than he wanted. As they usually do, Atlético allowed the rival to play too much, although the defending champion lacked the ability to overflow and surprise at the rear led by Giménez, sent off for a very tough entry into the discount after the VAR review.

Nor was Atlético’s midfield fine, although Athletic was also considerably grayer in creation. Thus it was consuming, without opportunities for anyone, a first half in which containment was imposed on class and verticality. The Athletic order, however, worked in that period in which Atlético only had sparks from Joao Félix and Carrasco, without offensive force. Both teams were annulled and accepted the equalizer after a very intense first half although with little football and clarity above. With excessive respect for both to avoid mistakes and allow kickbacks. However, the duel was opened in the face of a second half in which Llorente left and Simeone had to withdraw Kondogbia very soon, the supposed anchor of Atlético in a very thick midfield that was not only equaled by Athletic’s thanks to his deployment physical, but the Bilbao finished triumphant after a disastrous second part of the colchoneros.