Atlético: No Change in Fortunes | Latest News

They say new year, new life, but for Atlético life remains the same. After a 2025 in which the Colchonero team accused the matches in which they did not have the support of the Metropolitan, winning only 6 of their 19 matches away from their red-and-white temple, Cholo’s team have started 2026 with a new setback in the form of a draw in Anoeta. A point against a Real Sociedad superior in many moments of the game, with a lot of personality and eager to reverse the situation they are in with the change of coach.

It is true that Pellegrino Matarazzo had a top debut against a rival against whom the Txuri Urdin team had gone 12 games without winning in the League in the last six years, after seven defeats and five draws. And although he knew that the underdogs had won and had no margin for error, he showed a great version against an Atlético team that, away from home, cannot find the key even with the change of year. And that, Sorloth applied the fearsome ‘law of the ex’ to overtake the Colchonero team on the scoreboard, and Gallagher had the sentence in the next play, but Real did not lose face at any time in the match and Guedes scored the final tie, which leaves Cholo’s men with doubts before heading to Saudi Arabia.

It was difficult for Atlético to enter the first game of the year against a brave and vertical Real with a very compact block. And although the duel served as a prelude to the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid, Simeone did not want to save anything from the start, taking advantage of the fact that the infirmary has been almost empty. He was planted in Anoeta with the great novelty of Baena’s direct return to the eleven, with Pubill consolidated in the axis of the defense and with Sorloth as Julián’s squire in the attack. Meanwhile, Matarazzo had to make bobbin lace to make up for the losses of Gorrotxategi and Zubeldia, but with a very daring idea.

The mattress team was not at all comfortable because Matarazzo’s team bit at the top and did not allow us to breathe with high pressure. When the first five minutes had barely passed, Oyarzabal was able to score, but he was guilty of selfishness when he had Guedes in a better position to score the first with a shot from outside the area that skimmed Oblak’s goal. This made Atlético react and did not take long to respond, but Julián Álvarez did not get it right. Neither in the first instance after a bad clearance on a corner, nor in the second instance after a great play with Baena. Cholo’s team tried to grow under Barrios’ leadership, but the scoreboard did not move.

In these, Oblak had to stretch to get a good hand against Brais Méndez’s shot, after a vertical play with Guedes and Oyarzabal. The rojiblancos were lost, with Julián missing and the txuri urdin team was looking to score the first with personality and rhythm. Real Sociedad went one step further when the first half was dying, although without much danger until the controversy came to the game. Sorloth failed to clear a big free kick taken by Soler, scoring the first into his own goal, but the goal was annulled by a positional offside by Brais, unleashing anger in Anoeta and giving extra life to the colchoneros.

Succession of blows

Cholo was not liking what he was seeing from his team in Anoeta and did not wait a moment to move the tree to change the image. Le Normand and Gallagher came in to the detriment of Ruggeri and Barrios, replaced due to discomfort. It couldn’t have suited Atlético better. On the first chance of the second half, Giuliano ran down the right wing with his usual physical power, to put a candy in the area, where Sorloth applied the ‘law of the ex’ with a header. Gallagher could have killed the game on the next play with the first ball he touched, but in one-on-one with Remiro – after a great ball from Baena – he sent the ball into the side of the net.

And when you forgive, you end up paying dearly. With the stone on them, but still alive, Matarazzo’s team continued with the same game plan as from the beginning. In a textbook counterattack by Real Sociedad led by Kubo, the Japanese found themselves with a torn Atlético to give a gift to Guedes, who did not waste it to equalize the scoreboard. The duel was very open, but Simeone still didn’t like what he was seeing. He moved the bench but there seemed to be no solution. Oblak once again emerged as a hero with another save from a shot by the Japanese player, after a loss in Pubill’s start.

Real Sociedad was still looking for a tickle, protesting a possible penalty by Oblak on Oyarzabal, which was not considered punishable either in the first instance, or with the mediation of the VAR. In the clearest one on the part of Cholo’s team, Remiro held off Griezmann one-on-one perfectly to avoid the Colchonero goal and when the game was dying out Soler touched glory with a shot that was about to unleash madness in Anoeta. Great game from Matarazzo’s team, which was superior for much of the match and raised Atlético’s doubts before the Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah.