With the stands full of Santa hats, Atlético de Madrid gave themselves a vital victory to consolidate their position in the Champions League in the last game of 2023. A growing Sevilla was not the one to score at the Civitas Metropolitano, and that He played more than twenty minutes with one more man due to Soyuncu's expulsion. Llorente's goal, at the beginning of the second half, ended a streak of two games without winning for the colchoneros, who are reconnecting with that dream that now appears very distant, which is the League.
Despite the defeat, under the guidance of Quique Sánchez Flores, Sevilla has regained its lost competitiveness. The victory against Granada was a morale boost, but against Atlético the Madrid coach was more conservative and decided to start the game without a reference striker. Sánchez Flores tried to resist the pressure and counterattacks of the colchoneros, accustomed to forcefulness when playing at home. Sevilla achieved its mission and for many minutes it contained, not without difficulties, an Atlético runaway in search of a goal. In exchange, the Andalusians sacrificed the depth of the sides and barely generated any danger on Oblak's goal.
Simeone's men did not speculate and from the beginning they pounced on the game. Two minutes later, Morata linked a one-two with De Paul and stood up to Dmitrovic, although the Sevilla goalkeeper closed the gaps and solved the one-on-one situation expertly. It was a first warning to intimidate the rival, although it helped Sevilla adjust its defense better.
From there, Simeone's men applied high pressure that was very effective. Sevilla lacked precision and the absence of an offensive reference prevented them from progressing easily. With each steal, Atlético left at maximum speed. Sometimes Lino and sometimes De Paul, but speed was also accompanied by haste. Another shot from Griezmann was all the offensive production in the first half for the locals, who knew they were superior.
At the restart, Atlético surprised again, and this time they did have a reward. Again attacking the backs of the full-backs, the recently incorporated Llorente beat Pedrosa and crossed into the area. Sergio Ramos forced a rejection towards the Colchonero winger, who scored the goal with a low shot the second time around.
This goal opened the game wide open. Sevilla took possession of the ball and began to play on Colchonero ground. Sánchez Flores brought on En-Nesyri and Sow and the Andalusians regained confidence. Ocampos had a one-on-one situation that Oblak managed to solve. Simeone's team managed to free itself from the pressure, but just at that moment the Turkish central defender Soyuncu saw the direct red card, at the request of the VAR, after a tackle with his studs on Ocampos' Achilles tendon.
With one more, Sevilla was not able to generate the necessary chances to equalize. On the contrary, Llorente was the one who had the clearest shot in a counterattack, but once again Dmitrovic avoided the locals' sentence.
The three points serve to reaffirm Simeone's team after a good start to the year. Sevilla still has to take many steps forward to be the team it needs to be.
