In the last meeting of the year in the Metropolitan Stadium, Atlético de Madrid beat Valencia 2-1 within the framework of the 16th day of The Spanish League. Diego Simeone’s cast suffered at home to prevail over the team Thatwhich had an outstanding performance by the Argentine Lucas Beltran: He scored a great goal in the second half to partially equalize the confrontation. The duel also featured the titles of Julián Álvarez, Nahuel Molina, Giuliano Simeone and Nicolás Gonzálezwhile Thiago Almada entered the plugin.
The development of the meeting was considerably even, beyond the fact that The local team managed to take the lead at 17 minutes with a goal from Kokewho scored after chasing a rebound in the area on a corner kick. Despite the result in favor, the team mattress maker had difficulties in imposing the conditions and the cast That managed to create danger in the goal Jan Oblakto the point that they disallowed a goal for Ashes for offside.
The turning point in the match came 59 minutes into the game, when Cholo Simeone made a triple change -Thiago Almada and Antoine Griezmann entered- in which the Argentines Julián Álvarez and Nico González leftand Spanish Pablo Barrios. Valencia took advantage of the period in which the entered players settled into the match and, with the help of Lucas Beltrán who entered at 55, equalized the score.
Faced with an Atlético retreating on their field, the team led by Carlos Corberan He began to weave a good associative play on rival territory. The Argentine who emerged in River Plate made a series of walls with André Almeida to upset the home defense. The Portuguese left it to Beltrán on the edge of the area, who, after dribbling Thiago Almada with one foot, took a powerful shot to overcome Oblak’s resistance and score the 1-1.
This was Lucas Beltrán’s debut in the networks in the Spanish League. The 24-year-old Argentine striker has played 13 official matches, of which he was a starter in only five, since his arrival at Valencia from the Fiorentina of Italy.
However, with a scenario in which Atlético Madrid was beginning to suffer with the score tied, it appeared Antoine Griezmann to put the advantage back in the result. Mark Pubill He launched a precise long pass to the Valencia defense and, After a sensational control by the Frenchman, he scored to make it 2-1 in favor of the local team.
Cholo Simeone’s team made the goal count and, against a beaten Valencia, Alexander Sorloth increased the difference, although the goal was disallowed for offside. Since then, Atlético retreated to its own field with the aim of attacking directly, against a visiting team that showed deficiencies in generating play.
With this result, Atlético Madrid remains within the classification positions for the UEFA Champions League in the fourth place. Cholo Simeone’s team has 34 points and is behind Villarrealwhich has two fewer games. It is worth noting that at the top is the Barcelona with 40 points, followed by Real Madrid with 36.
The painting culé will be able to stretch the advantage if they win over the health in it Camp Nouwhile the Merengue arrives with the obligation to win as a visitor to the Alavés. Xabi AlonsoMadrid coach, comes into focus after the Champions League defeat against Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu.
For its part, Valencia was sunk in the standings of the Spanish League. The set That It only has 15 units – the same as Osasuna and Girona – and marches in 16th place. If Mallorca beats Elche, they could be on the verge of the relegation places.
