João Félix sets the pace

Direct Chronicle

João Félix scores Atlético's first goal. SUSANA VERA (REUTERS)

Swallowing saliva, moving the corners of his lips nervously and with watery eyes due to the minute of silence that the stands observed for the death of his father, Simeone attended a first suffered and then comfortable victory for his Atlético against Alavés.

The heartfelt tribute distilled that family air with which the red and white fans adopt players and coaches as one of their own.

As is now the case with João Félix, who marks the pace of his team with goals and football.

He once again opened the scoring for his team and when the game was complicated by the tie against Alavés, he solved it.

He has eight goals in the league, six of them in the last six games.

His leadership on the field grows game by game.

ATM Athletic

4

Oblak, Reinildo Mandava, Savic, Vrsaljko, Giménez (Felipe Monteiro, min. 85), Renan Augusto (De Paul, min. 45), Kondogbia, Marcos Llorente (Matheus Cunha, min. 71), Lemar (Carrasco, min. 45 ), Griezmann (Luis Suárez, min. 60) and João Félix

ALA Alavés

1

Pacheco, Laguardia, Nahuel Tenaglia, Lejeune, Rubén Duarte (Ximo Navarro, min. 45), Pina (Pellistri, min. 77), Pere Pons (Manu Vallejo, min. 45), Escalante, Edgar Méndez (Mamadou Loum, min. 77), Joselu and Luis Rioja (Miguel De La Fuente, min. 84)

Goals

1-0 min.

10: Joao Felix.

1-1 min.

62: Climbing.

2-1 min.

74: Luis Suarez.

3-1 min.

81: Joao Felix.

4-1 min.

89: Luis Suarez.

Referee

Mario Melero Lopez

Yellow cards Marcos Llorente (min. 71)

It didn't take Simeone a minute to bite the bullet to take his place on the wing and encourage his players to make an effort to recover the ball to win the game in its early stages.

With the loss of Koke, due to suspension, and Herrera, due to injury, Cholo tried a new midfield, with Lemar on the right, Lodi on the left and Marcos Llorente and Kondogbia in the engine room.

It was Lemar's flutters that stirred Atlético.

The Frenchman caged a low center from Lodi, well seen by Kondogbia on the left flank.

The goal was annulled because the Brazilian started offside by an inch, but the play is becoming one of the last automatisms that the 'rojiblancos' have incorporated.

With Marcos Llorente ahead, Simeone's team also recovers a greater volume of breaks on the right.

On that flank, Atlético accelerated a play with Griezmann and Vrsaljko.

The Croatian put a candy and the execution of João Félix was academic.

First in the unmarking to get away from Laguardia and then to mark the times in the air, turn his neck and direct the header to the squad.

The goal could presage a placid night for Atlético with a view to their demanding visit to Manchester City on Tuesday, but it was diverted due to blocked football paths.

Between blows that stopped the game and the multitude of turnovers from one team and the other, they drew a rough and bland rest of the first act.

Only some technical details of João Félix in juggler controls pleased the eye.

On his return, Simeone, thinking about City, left Lemar and Lodi in the locker room and gave Carrasco and De Paul a run for their money.

Mendilibar, driven by the need to score points no matter what, maneuvered with the entries of Manu Vallejo and Ximo Navarro for Duarte and Pere Pons.

The changes to Alavés, which became the government of the meeting, suited him better.

Also facilitated by poor deliveries from De Paul and Kondogbia that encouraged the Mendilibar players to put pressure on and box Atlético.

Alavés did not profit from that good start to the second half, but when it seemed that Atlético was entering the game again, Escalante beat Oblak with an accurate header with half an hour to play.

Simeone had to resort to the dynamite of Luis Suárez and Cunha.

It was the Brazilian, who is a manual for unchecking space, who scratched Lejeune with a youth penalty.

He showed him the ball in the area and the center back stung with a kick to the shin that Cunha exaggerated as soon as he felt the blow.

Between the sound of the impact, with the referee nearby, and the torn stocking, they reinforced the referee's decision.

Suárez burst the net through the center of the goal.

Once again with an advantage, João Félix's finesse at the controls emerged again.

A cross foul from midfield stretched her on the left flank with her toe to get rid of her marker and assist Vrsaljko to push the ball.

Pacheco made a miraculous save with a slap, but the Portuguese was eager to reject it.

The fourth goal was born from another combination between him and Cunha, executed by Suárez after a good filtered pass from the Brazilian.

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