Liga, Sevilla-Atletico 1-0: Acuna reopens La Liga

Lopetegui’s team missed a penalty but found the match goal with Acuna. Now Atletico have three points ahead of the blancos (with one game less) and 4 over the blaugrana

Atletico stumbles and feeds the hopes of the pursuers, now close to the top. The Cholo band offers a pale image in Seville against the hosts, who win with merit after an abundant hour of excessive power. The Colchoneros suffer 18 shots, a seasonal record, and not even the usual Oblak is enough. Acuna decides everything in the 70th minute, also raising the (faint) hopes of the Andalusians, now eight points from the top. But Atletico feel above all the breath on the neck of Real Madrid (at -3) and Barcelona, ​​who can go to -1 tomorrow. For Lopetegui it is the first career success against Cholo after 2 knockouts and three draws.

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SURPRISES

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Lopetegui only has to give up Escudero, who had a positive result at Covid in the morning, for the rest all available and two surprise exclusions: bench for Papu Gomez and for the seasonal bomber En-Nesyri, to whom the Dutch De Jong is preferred ( scored in the last three matches in the national team). A few more problems for Simeone, forced to deal with Savic’s forfeits, due to gastroenteritis, and Joao Felix, still struggling with the after-effects of a blow to the ankle remedied with Portugal. But Cholo also plays the surprise card, because Correa is not paired with Suarez, but Lemar. On the side lanes, however, thrust entrusted to Trippier and Lodi, with Llorente, Koke and Saul in the middle.

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ANDALUSIAN STRAPOTERE

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The most effective strategy seems to be that of the hosts, masters of the dribble after a few minutes of study. The quick ball game on the ground, the mobility of the midfield and the high center of gravity allow the Andalusians to crush Atletico in the last 20 meters, where Oblak is immediately decisive. The Slovenian goalkeeper in fact manages to hypnotize Ocampos from eleven meters after a clear penalty awarded on 9 ‘for a stomp by Saul against Rakitic. But Oblak’s reflexes also serve on 10 ‘, 14’ and 19 ‘on the conclusions of Suso, Ocampos and Navas. The supremacy of Sevilla is evident, so much so that the Colchoneros go to the rest after having shot on goal only once with a shy right from Llorente.

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ONE WAY

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Cholo’s plans get complicated after half an hour, thanks to the injury that forces Lodi to raise the white flag (in his place inside Correa), but there are many short circuits of the Rojoblancos: above all the loneliness and lack of mobility of Suarez, the low intensity and the almost total absence of pressing. Atletico gave some rests immediately after the break, but it was a flash in the pan. Sevilla resumed the initiative from 55 ‘onwards, devoured a sensational opportunity with Rakitic from two steps and, in the 70’, the reward for many efforts arrived: Navas broke through on the right, perfect center for Acuna and winning header on furthest corner. The action of the goal, however, is spoiled at the start by a touch of the hand of Ocampos on a throw of Trippier. The touch of the Argentine, with a wide arm, returns the ball to Sevilla, who after three touches hits the mark with Acuna. The Var room did not consider it appropriate to intervene. The only possible move for Simeone is to flesh out the median with the inputs of Herrera and Kondogbia, while Lopetegui keeps the tension high by throwing into the fray also En-Nesyri and, in the last quarter of an hour, Papu Gomez. The music does not change, on the contrary. Because in addition to not finding a way to worry Bono in the final minutes, Atletico also remedies the heavy admonitions of Suarez and Llorente, who will miss the next match at Betis through disqualification. For Atletico a bad night from all points of view.

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