Design, build and travel imaginary highways at breakneck speed. Savio Moreira, ‘Savinho’, is an artist, an architect and a sprinter at the same time. A blessing for Girona. A joy for football. The Cívitas Metropolitano was the scene of a new exhibition by this young winger, effective and effective, whose fantasy was not enough for Girona to achieve something positive against Atlético de Madrid. Very serious defensive errors of their own put the colchoneros into the game when Míchel’s team had it under control and for the fifth game in a row they lost away from home. Qualification for the Champions League is still very feasible, they are four points ahead of their rival from yesterday and Athletic (who plays today) by nine, but it will not come without suffering. [See the League classification].
Girona was unstoppable at the start. His fast and agile football was music for the senses. Míchel gathered the defensive line and his team had many meters to combine and ride into the open field. Atlético was a puppet in this beginning in the hands of a team that knows how to run. Savinho was captain general in this proposal. And already in the 4th minute the Brazilian left all the rivals that came his way and Yan Couto and Dovbyk finished the play with a goal. The Ukrainian scored his 17th goal of this season.
Atlético’s impotence grew with each departure of the visitors. And the colchoneros had no choice but to group together in the rival field trying to dominate by accumulation although without lucidity. From a dead ball came the defensive accident by Míchel’s team that caused the tie. Miguel Gutiérrez touched the ball with his hand after a shot by Hermoso on goal and the referee signaled the penalty. Griezmann did not miss from eleven meters against Gazzaniga. Girona gave life to its rival, which woke up from its lethargy and improved its performance significantly. The tie was a turning point. Atlético began to dominate the areas and Míchel’s men lost their joy with the ball.
Before the break came the comeback in another defensive mistake. Morata rescued a ball that the Girona defense gave up on the wing and his cross into the area was finished off by the Argentine Correa, the smallest, with his head. The ball bounced on the ground before going into the corner. Before, Savio had asked for a penalty after another of his impossible tricks, but the referee understood that the foul was outside the area.
At the restart came Atlético’s sentence with another rude gift. John Solís cleared a lateral cross towards his goal and gave an assist to Griezmann, who powerfully searched the corner to score his twelfth goal of the season.
From there, Girona attacked Oblak again. Dovbyk had the second in a lateral cross that was unsuccessful and Aleix García tested the goalkeeper with a long shot. Míchel’s team couldn’t take it anymore, and next week they will host Cádiz to continue with a season that should be historic for Montilivi’s team.
Atlético de Madrid: Oblak, Molina, Savic, Hermoso, Reinildo (Witsel 46), Koke, De Paul (Azpilicueta 75), Saúl (Morata 41), Riquelme (Lino 68), Correa and Griezmann (Lorente 68).
Coach: Simeone.
Girona: Gazzaniga, Eric García, David López (Arnau Martínez 65), Blind, Miguel Gutiérrez, Aleix García, Solís (Pablo Torre 57), Yangel Herrera (Portu 65), Couto, Savinho (Valery 83) and Dovbyk (Stuani 83) .
Coach: Míchel Sánchez.
Stadium: Cívitas Metropolitano.
Referee: De Burgos Bengoetxea (c. Basque).
Cards: Saúl, Correa, Yangel Herrera, Couto.
Goals: 0-1. Dobvyk (4). 1-1. Griezmann (p) (34). 2-1. Strap (45 6). 3-1. Griezmann (50).
