Straight
There are times when goals portray a game.
One from a rebound by Mario Hermoso, another from a Porto penalty, after some incomprehensible hands from the center-back, and a final one from Griezmann, from a strategic move with a header at the far post.
Football can be so paradoxical that Hermoso celebrated his goal in the same background in which he had an altercation with Atlético's ultras against Villarreal for trying to silence the insults against Griezmann.
This continues with his contractual captivity that condemns him to play only the final half hours.
And he also continues to show that his substitutions are a luxury right now.
He already has three goals, two of them decisive, the one from Valencia and the one from last night.
Of the forty million that Atlético has to pay Barça, if he keeps it in property, last night he discounted the three that are given for victory in the Champions League.
ATM Athletic
two
Oblak, Giménez, Witsel, Reinildo Mandava, Marcos Llorente, Nahuel Molina (De Paul, min. 45), Koke, Saúl (Griezmann, min. 60), Carrasco (Lemar, min. 45), João Félix (Correa, min. 70) and Morata (Mario Hermoso, min. 67)
OPO Porto
1
Diogo Costa, Pepê (Joao Mario, min. 61), Zaidu Sanusi, Pepe, David Carmo, Otavinho (Bruno Costa, min. 76), Stephen Eustáquio, Wanderson Galeno (Gabriel Souza, min. 87), Mateus Uribe, Mehdi Taremi and Evanilson (Toni Martínez, min. 77)
Goals
1-0 min.
90: Beautiful Mario.
1-1 min.
95: Mateus Uribe.
2-1 min.
100: Griezmann.
Referee
Szymon Marciniak
Yellow cards Pepê (min. 52), Koke (min. 55), Mateus Uribe (min. 67), Mehdi Taremi (min. 70) and Mario Hermoso (min. 94)
Red cards Mehdi Taremi (min. 80)
The duel got up early with the predictable appointment of Simeone and Conceiçao's blackboards.
That football in which tactical movements matter more than those of the ball.
The molar thing is to be well placed to annul the opponent.
Under those conditions, Porto usually competes well.
He no longer has Vitinha or Luis Díaz, who gave him fang to the trade with which he usually develops.
Pepe remains as marshal and players like Otavio, Eustàquio, Evanilson or Taremi, who always had a clearer idea of what they were playing.
To turn Atlético into a stormy team with the ball, to break their rhythm and look for Nahuel Molina's hole.
The murmurs of the fans in each action that he executes, are those that end up pointing out the surpassed footballers.
This Porto between the wars was better than Atlético.
He lost,
but he beat him in restraint and clairvoyance to stretch.
He accused Simeone's team of lacking fine footing in midfield.
To make matters worse, the one who has the most packaging with the ball, Witsel, has become strong as a central defender.
There is no match in which he is not the best on the team for placement and for the clarity that he brings.
Either the midfielders improve, or it would not be surprising if Simeone considers the invention finished and makes the Belgian play as a midfielder.
Of course, the symptoms that the team transmitted begin to turn that step into an emergency solution.
As much as Griezmann's lineup and even more so now that he has been repositioned as an interior.
The only lights were put by João Félix, the main affected along with Morata from the dullness of his teammates with the ball.
Atlético had a good portion of that endemic evil that persecuted him in the Simeone era.
So much so that he couldn't score Diogo Costa until half an hour into the game.
Porto, at least, had tried several times from outside the area.
And Taremi generated the silence of panic when he danced to Giménez on the baseline and the center of him behind him found no one to push him.
More information
Video of the goals of Atlético de Madrid - Porto
Faced with the disaster, Simeone had to operate without hesitation at rest.
He struck down Nahuel Molina and Carrasco.
This one is sullen.
He doesn't have an overflow and there is nothing worse for a dribbler than being in limbo and without spark.
De Paul and Lemar were the solutions that Simeone sought.
The maneuver was intended to improve the dull engine room.
The start was promising, Koke scored with a good inside touch from the edge of the box, but the goal was annulled due to De Paul's previous offside.
That enthusiasm of Atlético was reduced in just ten minutes.
As soon as Porto linked a couple of plays, Atlético fell apart again.
Eustáquio made Oblak fly and the Slovenian also blocked a free shot by João Mario at the far post.
The disaster was such that Simeone precipitated Griezmann's usual entry in the 62nd minute in two minutes and gave Correa and Hermoso flight to rebuild the team.
The crowd did not like the fact that João Félix was among those who were replaced and the whistles thundered.
This new twist did not take effect.
Porto continued to command.
Only Taremi's bad head simulating a penalty and protesting the yellow he saw gave Atlético life.
He came across Hermoso's goal, a rebound, as an example of the rough game he played.
And also with the hands of the center-back as the final shot of his confused game.
Won by that vital header from Griezmann.
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