Some were crying and others were jumping just five months ago. The Cartuja witnessed the last confrontation between the two and the San Sebastian title despite the red-and-white favoritism. Atlético arrived in Donosti with need and doubts. Two very negative circumstances in the world of football. Without nine, again. Cholo had to regain positive momentum after two consecutive defeats, at San Mamés and Anfield, to avoid losing ground in LaLiga, as happened too soon last year. The great progression in the ko tournaments was exciting, but it ended without success.
It cannot be said that Atlético left with an Anoeta success, but it did leave with a victory. Undeserved and thanks in part to the irresponsibility of a young man with a hand where it should not be placed. Ochieng gave the opportunity and Grimaldo took advantage of it. Then, with the game dead, David wanted to claim his presence in the red and white club and Giuliano in the eleven. [Narrative and statistics, 0-3]
The team did not want to start, yesterday in black, with its arms lowered and rushed Real to the Remiro line. However, Matarazzo's team, with Oyarzabal multiplying both in creation and in the three quarters, gladly accepted the challenge. Equal duel with two teams squeezing space and time for players. Kang-In Lee, one of those who was on the field, already faked first with a shot of his own with a cut in and shot at the near post, but the ball went wide. Shortly after, he put a cross on Hjulmand's head, which the Dane almost scored.
Atlético was going to need a lot of participation from the Korean and Baena. The loss of Barrios, one more for the youth squad, left a very physical Colchonero midfield, with Llorente alongside Hjulmand, but with little creative capacity. The option was to take advantage of the speed of Lookman and Giuliano, a highly discussed player at the beginning of the season.
On the realistic side, the one who was much more active after his absence due to a surgical operation was Guedes. The Portuguese was a dagger last season and in the first 15 minutes he already showed glimpses of the level he reached. Thanks to their diagonals, the San Sebastián team shook off the initial red-and-white dominance. But the truth is that the alternatives on both sides were full of bark and little bite.
Perhaps the clearest were those on the realistic side and more due to a nap of the Atlético defense in their area, rather than due to their own merit. Although Guedes' shot just before the 40th minute, which Hjulmand blocked with his face, was pure Portuguese electricity. The other was Sucic's after a corner. A ball that no one burst, the Dane and Grimaldo were especially passive, but the Croatian failed to put it into the goal.
Atlético began the second half after 200 minutes without scoring a goal in the league. There is something wrong with the red and white definition and if the team was a steamroller against Sevilla, especially in the first half, those 45 minutes were more the exception than the rule. He can't quite find the Simeone reference in pointe. Lookman has been imprecise and lost in that position, Baena was a flash in the pan, Julián showed signs of recovery against Liverpool and David has not yet entered as an option to start. Sorloth, on the other hand, who was seen out this summer, is not an option yet.
Meanwhile, seeing that the colchoneros did not finish causing damage up front, Real was growing supported by their fans and the awakening of Barrenetxea, almost unprecedented in the first half. The San Sebastian winger took advantage of the doubts in defense that Grimaldo is raising in this start as a rojiblanco. The former Bayern man has not finished functioning as a full-back and Cholo, for the moment, has only used wing-backs in certain phases of some matches.
Ridiculous penalty
Simeone gave David half an hour to have reference above and locate Lookman in his position. But the team didn't finish finding them. So the Canadian found himself on the counter and Remiro prevented the forward's first goal. Another change that came out with enthusiasm was youth player Arnau Ortiz, electric in every action. However, with the game dying, another substitute, but this one from the San Sebastian side, gave Simeone's team a boost with a ridiculous penalty. Grimaldo wrote it down for individual and collective benefit.
