Liga, Real-Atletico 1-1: Simeone ahead with Gimenez, Rodriguez saves Ancelotti

The sleet before the match, the yawns in the first half, controversies and goals in the second. In the end at the Bernabeu between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid it ended 1-1, a draw that serves no one: Ancelotti reduces the gap to Xavi to 7 points, but Barcelona face Almeria tomorrow and can go +10; Simeone, fourth in the standings, does not overtake Real Sociedad in third place and sees Betis in fifth place approaching -2.

THE MEMORY

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It was the day of remembrance of the president of honor Amancio Amaro who died during the week, with the Madrid players all entering the field with the number 7 shirt of the great ex and a heartfelt minute of silence.

AND THE RECORDS

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A special game for Simeone: with 425 matches he surpasses Madrid’s Miguel Muñoz as La Liga coach with the most benches in a single club and reaching 612 he hooks up with the legend Luis Aragones at the top of the Atletico coaches ranking with the most benches. Aragones reached the figure in 7 different mandates between 1974 and 2003, the ‘Cholo’ in one breath in these very long 11 years, from December 2011.

THE CHOICES

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Ancelotti does not have Rodrygo, Alaba and Mendy and gives up Camavinga, Tchouameni and Modric. Space for Ceballos and Asensio, with Nacho as left back and Kroos as pivot. Simeone cannot count on the injured De Paul and Kondogbia, he sends Morata, Depay and Correa to the bench, placing Carrasco alongside Griezmann, giving space to the young Pablo Barrios and fielding his players with an unprecedented 4-2-3-1.

yawning and aiming errors

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Atletico started strong but faded early and the first half went by between a few yawns and oversized shots from Madrid, who quickly took control of the match without however creating great dangers. Carrasco is Atletico’s most dangerous, who in the 20th minute lost Reinildo, his most fit defender, due to a serious problem with his right knee after a clash with Valverde. Benzema shot up two interesting invitations from Militao and Valverde.

CHANGE AND RED

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Simeone introduced Correa in the interval for the young singer Pablo Barrios and shortly after Lemar for the injured Marcos Llorente. The problem for Atletico is that Gil Manzano considered the elbow of the little Correa to the giant Rudiger with the ball far away from red. It was 64′ and the punishment certainly seems excessive. After the last derby, Atletico Madrid had published a letter of protest against the referee’s implementation. We’ll see what happens this time.

CHOLO BRAVE AND AWARDED

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Simeone brought in Morata and Witsel for Koke and Saul, Ancelotti reacted with 18-year-old Alvaro Rodriguez for Nacho and a moment later (78′) the boy lost Gimenez on a Griezmann free-kick for Atletico’s lead, who Bernabeu in Liga hadn’t scored for 470′ and almost 5 years.

THE RANSOM

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Alvaro Rodriguez however quickly redeemed himself: after a great save by Oblak on Camavinga the Castilla center forward went to take Modric’s corner to score the equalizer with a solo but truly impressive jump. It’s only his second Liga game and it’s a goal he will remember for the rest of his life. Madrid tried to win but Atletico defended until the end.