Simeone’s bittersweet classic: historic record with Atlético, unusual sending off of Correa and draw against Real Madrid

It was a special day for Diego Pablo Simeone and it was about to be epic, so now there’s definitely a flavor on your palate. The Argentinian coach broke the record for games managed with the Athletic and, after the unusual sending off of the Argentine world champion Angelo Correahas been able to get ahead on the board, but the real Madrid He equalized it with five minutes to go and took away the win.

it was the meeting number 612 for the histrionic DT with the ‘Colchonero’, with which he reached a piece of Spanish football history as Louis Aragonesi. “In reality they are numbers, but I am especially grateful to the players, who are the ones who have allowed me to grow, to be able to express myself and to be able to play this number of matches, but it is clear that they are linked to results, otherwise the numbers would not exist ”.he said in the previous one.

Also in the conference before arriving at the Santiago Bernabéu, Simeone had spoken of the referee Jesus Gil Manzanowho directed a Spanish classic for the first time and came under the ‘pressure’ of the memory of the controversy of the last match between the two teams, on January 26 in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey with a 3-1 victory for the Whites in extra time, with numerical superiority due to the expulsion of Stefan Savic and with the indignation of the rojiblanco block for not showing the second yellow a Daniel Ceballos when the match was 0-1. The referee at the time was Cesar SotoLaurea.

And Gil Manzano was also marked this Saturday, because he took the red from Angelo Correa -inserted complement from Rivas-, after an elbow to the German ‘giant’ Antonio Rudiger. There are 20 minutes left before the second half and the prospects get complicated for Simeone’s men, who protest by alluding to the difference in height between the two actors. The gesture of the blow existed, but it seemed that the Argentine was trying to get rid of it rather than attack it.

But like so many other times, it was in adversity that the “Mattress” flag was planted. Frenchman Antoine Griezmann struck a fantastic cross from a free-kick and Uruguayan Josema Giménez surged aesthetically to beat goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, silencing the Bernabéu.

Atlético pulled back to defend the result and succeeded… until there were 5 minutes left. Of the same medicine, but after a corner taken by Luka Modric, it was Uruguayan Álvaro Rodríguez who won high at the near post to seal the draw.

La Liga, almost impossible for Real

The one who celebrated the draw the most, or even the stumble of Real, was Barcelona. Hit by their elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Manchester United, the culé team can extend their lead from a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu, which has rewarded Atlético’s endurance.

In the standings, Real Madrid were seven points behind their loyal rivals, who can increase their margin to ten if they win in modest Almería (18th) on Sunday.

All this just before they meet on Thursday next week in a Clásico in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

The draw in the derby ended the euphoria at Real Madrid, who had just won the Club World Cup and then chained two league victories (Osasuna and Elche), before Tuesday’s big 5-2 victory at Liverpool. in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League.

For its part, Atlético remain fourth, in the Champions League zone, but see their lead over Betis reduced to two points, who won 3-2 at the last club Elche on Friday.

In the rest of Saturday’s matches, Rayo Vallecano (6th), in the European positions, were surprised and lost 1-0 at Cádiz (14th), who are moving away from relegation thanks to a goal from Sergio Guardiola in 74.

Espanyol (12th) finished in the quiet with a 2-1 win against Mallorca (8th), with a brace from Denmark’s Martin Braithwaite.