Direct Chronicle
Atletico won, but the party was double in Elche.
Mallorca's draw at the Sánchez Pizjuán gave Francisco's team a commendable permanence.
For the first time in 44 years, the local club will sign three consecutive seasons in the First Division.
And for the tenth consecutive time under the direction of Diego Pablo Simeone, the rojiblancos have won a place in the Champions League.
The objective came to be on the wire after that defeat in the Metropolitano with Levante that set off all the alarms.
The champion has not defended the title as expected after the additions of Griezmann, Cunha and De Paul.
The three marked the differences last night to win a game with which their team has secured the bag of millions that guarantees the great European competition.
ELCElche
0
Edgar, Mojica, Bigas, Enzo Roco, Helibelton Palacios, Fidel (Kike, min. 57), Pere Milla (Pastore, min. 68), Omar Mascarell (Raúl Guti, min. 74), Gumbau, Tete Morente (Josan, min. . 57) and Lucas Boyé (Guido Carrillo, min. 57)
ATM Athletic
two
Oblak, Savic, Reinildo Mandava, Giménez, Kondogbia, Koke, Vrsaljko (Renan Augusto, min. 6), Carrasco (Felipe Monteiro, min. 79), De Paul (Correa, min. 71), Matheus Cunha (Luis Suárez, min. 79) and Griezmann (Héctor Herrera, min. 71)
Goals
0-1 min.
27: Matheus Cunha.
0-2 min.
62: Paul's.
Referee
Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes
Yellow cards Pere Milla (min. 6), Renan Augusto (min. 34), Bigas (min. 39) and Kondogbia (min. 92)
Even without the lungs of Llorente, sanctioned, Atlético came out with the slogan of maintaining the proposal to play in the opposite field that gave them victory in the Madrid derby, aware that the victory awarded them the vital place in the next Champions League .
Griezmann was chosen by Simeone to fill the vacancy of the Madrid midfielder in a drawing in which the defense of four was maintained.
Simeone's plan did not last long because after three minutes Vrsaljko broke down and he had to reconfigure the board.
He switched to a three-centre defense with Carrasco pushed to the right lane and the Brazilian to the left.
The mutation gave him to deactivate Lucas Boyé.
Francisco's team lowers their attacking game a lot when their Argentine nine does not take action because without their game with their backs to the goal and their unchecking, their midfielders become cloudy.
The same thing happened to Pere Milla, the other key stiletto in Elche's permanence.
Francisco's team only worried in a couple of strategy moves.
In one of them, a fight between Oblak and Lodi revealed that the fuses were short at Atlético due to the responsibility of reaching the goal.
The game did not flow much, except when the ball passed through De Paul and Griezmann.
Neither of them has met the expectations generated by their signing, but last night they were the two players who were clearer about how to do damage.
It was the Frenchman near the first half hour who drew a 40-meter cross pass for the now classic Lodi break.
The control of the Brazilian was manual and the center of it was swept away by Cunha with the toe in a drag through the grass of a lifelong opportunist.
The Brazilian attacker, almost every time he has played, a lot or a little, has given signs of contributing work, speed, depth and ability to play the game in the last meters.
Elche did not react to that blow and was not unleashed either when he came out of the break with the news of the tie between Mallorca and Sevilla that guaranteed him permanence.
It is the prize for the resurrection promoted by his coach, who took on a team in December that was looking bad.
Cunha had the close of the match in another treacherous foray from Lodi.
A recovery by Carrasco turned into a lively and sharp rondo that disarmed Elche's midfielders and defenders.
De Paul did not waste it, after a fine final combination with Griezmann, who gave him the goal to push him.
Both signed their most convincing performance in recent times.
They showed the hierarchy and the determination that was required of them to certify Atlético as a Champions team and the possibility of maintaining the third place achieved.
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