In a thrilling encounter this Saturday, Atletico Madrid secured a narrow victory against Valencia with a final score of 2-1, in the 16th round of La Liga. The home side took the lead early, with Koke netting the opener in the 17th minute. However, Valencia fought back, leveling the score with Lucas Beltrán’s goal at the 62nd minute. Just when it seemed the game would end in a stalemate, Antoine Griezmann found the net in the 73rd minute, securing the win for Atletico.
At the very beginning of the match, Hugo Duro of Valencia came close to scoring, but his shot hit the post, a moment that could have changed the game’s trajectory.
Koke was undeniably the standout player of the day, not only scoring a crucial goal but also completing 41 key passes and making 4 interceptions. Griezmann also made his mark with a goal and 11 accurate passes that showcased his attacking prowess.
Atletico Madrid’s manager, Diego Simeone, opted for a 4-4-2 formation featuring Jan Oblak in goal, alongside a defensive line of Nahuel Molina, Marc Pubill, Dávid Hancko, and Matteo Ruggeri. The midfield was composed of Giuliano Simeone, Pablo Barrios, Koke, and Nicolás González, while Alexander Sorloth and Julián Álvarez led the attack.
On the other side, Carlos Corberán set Valencia up in a 5-3-2 formation, with Julen Agirrezabala between the sticks, defenders Thierry Correia, Dimitri Foulquier, Eray Cömert, José Copete, and Jesús Vázquez, and a midfield trio of Pepelu, Filip Ugrinic, and Diego López, supported by forwards André Almeida and Hugo Duro.
César Soto Grado officiated the match at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Looking ahead, Atletico Madrid will next face Girona away from home, while Valencia will be hosting Mallorca. With this victory, Atletico Madrid now sits at 34 points, placing them fourth in the league, while Valencia remains at 15 points in the 16th position.
Substitutions for Atletico Madrid
45’ 2T – Nahuel Molina off for Robin Le Normand
58’ 2T – Nicolás González off for Conor Gallagher, Julián Álvarez off for Antoine Griezmann, Pablo Barrios off for Thiago Almada
Yellow Cards for Atletico Madrid:
31’ 1T Marc Pubill (Unsporting behavior), 41’ 1T Alexander Sorloth (Unsporting behavior), 43’ 2T Diego Simeone (Insulting or dissenting towards the referee), 44’ 2T Antoine Griezmann (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Valencia
54’ 2T – Diego López off for Lucas Beltrán
71’ 2T – Eray Cömert off for Baptiste Santamaria, Filip Ugrinic off for Javi Guerra
81’ 2T – Jesús Vázquez off for José Luis Gayà, Pepelu off for Largie Ramazani
Yellow Card for Valencia:
42’ 2T Hugo Duro (Insulting or dissenting towards the referee)