Online Reporter
ATLETICO Madrid coach Diego Simeone famously hates to deviate from the here and now but when his team host Real Madrid today in a Spanish LaLiga football derby clash it is difficult not to look both forwards and backwards.
The last time these teams met was in March in the Champions League last 16, when Atletico were eliminated after Julian Alvarez’s controversially disallowed shoot-out penalty.
The Rojiblancos seethed for weeks about the incident, with Alvarez ruled to have double-kicked the ball, and their season rapidly flew off the rails. Perhaps they have never fully recovered since.
Atletico arrive at the Madrid derby, six games into the season, already trailing their league-leading opponents by nine points.
If they fall to a defeat by Xabi Alonso’s Los Blancos, who boast a 100 per cent record thus far, a title challenge already looks unlikely.
Atletico spent big in the summer, signing Alex Baena, David Hancko and Thiago Almada among others, for a total of more than 175 million euros.
“We want to recover in the best way we can,” said Simeone after his team came from behind to beat Rayo Vallecano 3-2 in a thrilling clash on Wednesday.
“We will have a really hard, difficult game against a side that has been winning all their games and who have a tonne of very good players in their squad.”
Simeone this week became the coach who has spent the longest time in charge of a LaLiga club, having arrived in December 2011.
Helping Atletico to reach two Champions League finals — both lost against Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016 — as well as winning two LaLiga titles, Simeone has taken the club to their very best moments.
Unfortunately, over the past few seasons, since they won LaLiga in 2021, the team have fallen from their peak.
“The team needs to evolve to the height the club has,” admitted Simeone in August.
Rivals Real Madrid are looking for evolution too, with Alonso arriving in the summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti.
The Spaniard can match Vanderlei Luxemburgo’s record of seven straight league wins at the start of a season set in 2005 if Los Blancos emerge on top this weekend.
The main force behind Madrid’s excellent results is superstar striker Kylian Mbappe, who leads the scoring charts with seven. The France international ended last season in rich form and has continued that into the new campaign.
Atletico, by contrast, lacked finesse in front of goal until Alvarez netted the first hat-trick of his career against Rayo to climb to four league goals.
“Julian is the best player that we have. We need to look after him, so he stays many years here at Atletico,” said Simeone.
“He has to help us and we have to help him, so he gets even better than he currently is. Each time he scores he makes the difference, he helps us so much.”Second-placed Barcelona host Real Sociedad tomorrow at the Olympic stadium, hoping Real Madrid drop points so they can close the two-point gap to the top.
Meanwhile, headers from Robert Lewandowski and Ronald Araujo helped Barcelona make a 3-1 comeback victory at minnows Real Oviedo on Thursday night in LaLiga. The Catalans, who fell behind after a mistake from goalkeeper Joan Garcia allowed Alberto Reina to score the opener from 40 yards out, levelled through Eric Garcia early in the second half. Substitute Lewandowski nodded Hansi Flick’s side in front and Araujo made the game safe late on as he headed home Marcus Rashford’s corner.
Barcelona, second in the table, trail leaders Real Madrid by two points after Xabi Alonso’s side maintained their 100 per cent start with a win at Levante on Tuesday.
Despite missing star winger Lamine Yamal, Barca recorded their fourth consecutive victory across all competitions without the teenager.
“In the second half, I said to my team, we have to continue, we have to play with calmness, to be convinced about playing with the ball, and we did it well,” said Flick.
Oviedo, back in Spain’s top flight for the first time since the 2000/01 campaign, lined up with 40-year-old great Santi Cazorla in midfield, making his first start of the season.
They could not contain Kylian Mbappe as Real Madrid visited the Carlos Tartiere stadium in August, but mostly did a better job against the champions in front of a fine atmosphere.
Rashford started on the left wing after he was benched last weekend for turning up late for a team meeting, and came closest for Barcelona in the first half.
The on-loan Manchester United forward’s vicious effort was tipped away by Oviedo goalkeeper Aaron Escandell, who excelled despite the goals he conceded.
The Spanish stopper tipped away another Rashford effort from range and then thwarted the England international again from the rebound after Raphinha struck the post.
Barcelona were unsurprisingly dominant but Oviedo took the lead in the 33rd minute after a howler from visiting goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Charging out of his box, he intercepted the ball but then passed straight to Reina, who fired into the empty net from long distance.
“I saw the goalkeeper’s mistake and I went first time, and in the moment I kicked it, I saw it was good,” Oviedo midfielder Reina told DAZN. “My first in the top flight, I’ll never forget it.”
Flick said he would not be blaming his goalkeeper too harshly.
“It’s the style that we want him to play in, and it can happen,” explained Barca’s coach.
Fixtures
Today: Getafe v Levante; Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid; Mallorca v Alaves; Villarreal v Athletic Bilbao.
Tomorrow: Rayo Vallecano v Sevilla; Elche v Celta Vigo; Barcelona v Real Sociedad; Real Betis v Osasuna.
Monday: Valencia v Real Oviedo. — AFP Sport.
