Mired in a slump before visiting Inter Milan on Tuesday, Atlético equally needed the result, to improve and reinvent itself against Las Palmas. Simeone did everything. His team supported a little hand, they did not need an ounce of Griezmann, De Paul and Witsel spent some time in the second half with a view to the San Siro event and their bet on Marcos Llorente and Correa as an attacking couple, authors of two goals each. Between the new attacking duo they settled the duel before the first half hour. Where Correa put an extra gear to mouse and overwhelm Las Palmas’ daring ball delivery, Llorente emerged as a nine of balanced and accurate caliber. Two chances and two goals were his calling card in less than a quarter of an hour and may also have been a boost to his opposition to forming with Griezmann against Inter.
5
Oblak, Nahuel Molina, Samuel Lino (Rodrigo Riquelme, min. 63), Reinildo Mandava, Savic, Giménez (Witsel, min. 63), Koke (De Paul, min. 63), Pablo Barrios Rivas (Arthur Vermeeren, min. 71 ), Saúl, Correa and Marcos Llorente (Depay, min. 62)
0
Álvaro Vallés, Saul Coco, Sergi Cardona (Daley Sinkgraven, min. 74), Mika Mármol, Álex Suárez (Julian Araujo, min. 57), Munir (Pejiño, min. 80), Kirian Rodríguez, Marvin Olawale Akinlabi Park, Javi Muñoz , Maximo Perrone (Alberto Moleiro, min. 57) and Sandro (Marc Cardona, min. 57)
Goals 1-0 min. 15: Marcos Llorente. 2-0 min. 20: Marcos Llorente. 3-0 min. 46: Strap. 4-0 min. 61: Strap. 5-0 min. 87: Depay.
Referee Jorge Figueroa Vázquez
Yellow cards Maximo Perrone (min. 3), Nahuel Molina (min. 27), Saúl (min. 32) and Munir (min. 61)
With Morata injured and given Memphis’ low revs for a duel that is presumed to be high voltage, Simeone has once again pulled on his legs, his lungs and his relationship with Llorente’s goal. Simeone seems to be looking for energy in these moments of anxiety, with the League lost, the Cup complicated and a disruptive enemy in the Champions League that governs Serie A with authority. Llorente aims again to be his man in such a demanding duel. Memphis made it five in the final stretch to also defend their chances in Milan.
Atlético neither needed nor wanted the ball to dismantle Las Palmas. García Pimienta’s team displayed themselves as beautiful to see as always. With Perrone and Kirian to the easy and fine touch. The ball at the foot and that cadence of passes that made Atlético so dizzy in the first round match. Before bending his knee, from that silky football came a slanting shot from Javi Muñoz that splintered Oblak’s right corner. It happened that Simeone wanted the game to be settled in the 30 meters in which Las Palmas starts its chain of passes. Correa had sharp fangs and instincts and threatened Valles with a Vaseline after a bad transfer by Kirian. Virguero as he was, a backheel drop from the Argentine in the area turned into a dead ball for Llorente between Perrone and Sergi Cardona. Avid and precise, he executed Valles on nine reinvented by Simeone.
The fundamentalism of coming out playing from behind led Las Palmas to another setback. This time at Coco’s feet. He was seen a couple of meters from the area with the ball tangled between his legs and with Correa’s predatory shadow harassing him. He handed the ball to the red-and-white ten and gave it to Llorente so he could score as he pleased.
Once the duel was resolved, Atlético let Las Palmas do what they did, which played more than threatened. Neither Munir, nor Sandro nor Marvin were able to connect to the game in the vicinity of Oblak. Simeone’s team had no problems. If anything, that from that fictitious dominance he conceded a goal that would put him on alert. The rojiblancos did not allow it, as they once again executed Valles at the start of the second half. Correa volleyed a Koke lob with his head at the penalty spot. The finish was resounding, the Argentinian’s striking display was overwhelming. The defense of Las Palmas was flaccid, unstitched and surpassed too many times by Correa’s ingenuity. He once again entangled the Canarian defense with a maneuver that left Lino ready to execute Valles. After a previous VAR review, the referee decreed that the Brazilian was blocked by Marvin. Correa did not miss the opportunity to sign his double. He also competed for a place in the San Siro eleven, but history says that Correa’s great performances do not guarantee ownership.