Leganes 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Derby games may be great levellers, but it’s exactly these type of football matches in La Liga that Atletico Madrid need to be winning if they are to mount a serious title challenge.
Many SBOBET tipsters expect them to do so, and this observer also expected big things at the start of the season.
So the opportunity to win here and take advantage of the early kick-off to go top – however briefly – and make some La Liga 2018 news was naturally a big incentive for Los Rojiblancos and their manager Diego Simeone.
Whether they were aware they had failed to score on their last two visits to the Estadio Municipal de Butarque, who knows.
But lowly Leganes certainly weren’t willing to roll over.
Highlights of the game
After his midweek winner in the Copa del Rey, new signing Gelson Martins was given the nod in attack ahead of Diego Costa, who has struggled in front of goal of late, to form a potent partnership with Antoine Griezmann.
Perhaps the fact that Simeone’s side struggled for goals to date has not been a major surprise, given their joint top scorer before this match was full-back Filipe Luis with two to his name.
But with the likes of Griezmann, Koke, Thomas Lemar, Saul Niguez and Angel Correa, surely any profligacy in front of goal would not last long.
At the other end of the pitch like Simeone and his solidity, former Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino has not allowed Leganes to be pushovers either; although naturally, it has taken some time for the new manager and players to adapt to each other.
There were encouraging enough signs during the opening 45 minutes as the hosts more than matched their illustrious opponents.
Indeed, they went much closer to breaking the deadlock in the opening half-hour.
First, Youssef En-Nesyri’s header from an Oscar Rodriguez cross was just too high before Rodriguez twice went close with free-kicks.
Atletico were very much second-best in terms of goal threat, and Nabil El Zhar’s long-range effort was kept out by Jan Oblak.
Luis’ effort from outside the box, saved by Ivan Cuellar four minutes after the restart, suggested the visitors knew they would have to improve drastically in the final third.
After being fairly anonymous, Griezmann then called Cuellar into action with a left-footed shot from a difficult angle before another effort from the Ballon d’Or contender was blocked.
Chances were now aplenty. Centre-back Stefan Savic headed wide before home centre-back Dimitrios Siovas saw a header blocked. And Oblak had to be alert again to keep out an En-Nesyri shot.
Yet there was a feeling that, coupled with the hosts’ own failure to score the goal their play merited, Atletico were finally warming to their task and so it proved midway through the second half.
Martins won a free-kick, and Griezmann showed his class and proved third time lucky with a fine shot into the top right-hand corner.
But for Cuellar, Griezmann would have had a second moments later and it was to prove a crucial save as spirited Leganes notched a well-deserved equaliser.
Rodrigo Tarin was unfortunate to see his right-foot shot hit the crossbar with Oblak beaten, but Leganes were not deterred and were rewarded when Guido Carrillo’s own right-footed shot found the bottom right-hand corner.
Griezmann teed up Rodrigo whose header went wide moments later, but the frustration for the visitors was understandable at a missed opportunity.
This was another boost for Barcelona and it’s clear to see why the Catalans are clear favourites to retain the title with La Liga 2018 betting odds.
Leganes, who saw off Barca in late September, remain in the bottom three on goal difference. But for a side which seemed destined for the drop for much of last season before a run which included three victories out of six in March and April, they should not be unduly concerned.
Especially not after a performance like this. They are getting a liking for thwarting the big boys.
Key statistics
Leganes have now beaten Barcelona and held Atletico Madrid at home in the space of just over a month.
Atletico have not won in Leganes since a Segunda Division contest in February 2002.
What’s next?
Leganes travel to Girona a week from today in their final match before the international break.
They then entertain Alaves on November 23.
It’s a slightly busier spell for Atletico.
They host Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday (November 6), bidding for revenge after a 4-0 defeat in Germany in Group A.
Athletic Bilbao are the visitors to the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano a week today before champions Barcelona are the visitors on November 24.
A sequence of four home matches in a row concludes on November 28 when Monaco are the visitors as European competition continues.
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