Girona and Atlético sign boards in a match very even (1-1)
Girona received Atlético de Madrid in a great run after chaining six games without losing between the League and Copa del Rey and with Cristhian Stuani as current ‘Pichichi’ of the First Division with ten goals. The mattresses visited Montilivi after their recent qualification for the eighth in the Champions League and with the aim of continuing to stalk the leadership.
With the infirmary filled, Simeone experimented with Saúl Ñíguez as left back after Filipe Luis left and with Diego Costa among cottons after his ankle discomfort. For his part, Eusebio continued with the 3-5-2 that he has achieved with such good results and with Stuani as the main rojiblanca threat.
Little or nothing would like the first bars of the match both Simeone and Eusebio with a very open encounter, with exchange of blows, leaving aside the tactical plan and with both sets looking for the goal from the start. Griezmann first warned with a distant shot that stopped Bono without difficulties to which Granell responded with a shot that went wide of the red and white goal.
With the course of the match, Atletico was doing with the domain of the meeting but without finding depth with a little successful Lemar in the final meters. Girona, on the other hand, were looking for damage at set pieces and near was to open the scoring Stuani after a corner kick but his shot went over the goal of Jan Oblak after a defensive mismatch of the back mattress.
The clearest chances were to occur in the final stretch of the first part. Atletico could advance with a crossbar Saul after a great combination with Griezmann but the ball crashed on the crossbar and who did not forgive immediately was the Girona. Rodrigo loss of ball in the exit of ball, Stuani is hand to hand with Oblak that trarol the charrúa and Burgos Bengoetxea points penalty after prior consultation with the VAR. Stuani himself was going to transform the maximum penalty by tricking the Slovenian goalkeeper and achieving 1-0 for the Catalan side.
After passing through the locker room, the team of Diego Pablo Simeone did not want to miss the opportunity to get away from the lead and took a pass forward in search of a draw with the entry of Correa before a very rocky Girona who wanted to enforce the goal of Stuani seeking to sentence the shock to the cons.
The Argentine coach moved the chip and changed the scheme to three centers with two lanes and Atlético improved a lot, so much that they managed to tie the game. First Saul and Gelson Martins warned in two clear opportunities for Diego Costa to the third not to fail. Ball to the space of Ángel Correa for Diego Costa, who wins the race to Ramalho and Bernardo and after a spectacular control with left leg, Bernardo introduces the ball in his own goal.
In the final minutes, both teams looked to take the cat to the water but the result did not move and Girona and Atlético signed a draw that does not leave any team happy. In this way, Girona continues its good run by winning seven games without knowing the defeat and Atlético loses a golden opportunity to get close to the lead by adding 6 draws from the last 11 games.