Atlético thrashed this Saturday night at the Metropolitano against a Valencia that added its seventh straight defeat away from Mestalla and that continues to give very bad feelings. The threat of relegation is becoming more real. Pipo Baraja’s team can only hold on to a controversial play, a goal disallowed by Hugo Duro on the half hour mark due to an action by Foulquier on Memphis Depay at the start of the play, but eighty meters from the goal.
It only took Atlético 22 minutes to score the first goal, an opportunistic goal by Griezmann after an erroneous clearance by Cenk, the Frenchman’s ninth goal of the season. Until then Mamardashvili had kept the Valencian team alive.
As soon as the second half began, it was 2-0, the work of Yannick Carrasco. The play was born as a result of a huge save by Mamardashvili after a cross whiplash from Marcos Llorente. The ball fell to Carrasco on the left, who behind a wall with De Paul, defined the long post with the inside of his boot. The goal was reviewed by VAR, which validated it, understanding that there was no previous offside.
In minute 68 came the third goal for the colchoneros, this time from a chopped header from Thomas Lemar after some good play and a cross from Álvaro Morata.
Valencia’s only reaction came in the 77th minute when Samuel Lino, a footballer on loan from Atlético, hit the post after a cross from Gayà. The defeat marks Valencia’s worst run as a visitor since their promotion to the First Division 35 years ago. Atlético has ten plays without losing. They consolidate third place and are five points behind second, Real Madrid, who have one game less, tomorrow’s classic Sunday at the Camp Nou.
