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0-1: Defeat with honor
Only the opportunism of Griezmann prevents Espanyol to add against Atletico
Espanyol completed one of the best games of the season against Atletico Madrid, however, which ended up with an unfavorable result for the white and blue team. A goal by Griezmann unbalanced an intense match, competed and in which the locals had their options to overcome a rival of Champions League. The reality is that the three points flew from Cornellà-El Prat, but the team of Quique Sánchez hooked his fans and made her dream for many minutes.
As in the recent matches Espanyol had a very good start. After a brilliant action of Gerard on the left side of the attack the ball arrived to Jurado that didn’t score by a few inches. That opportunity was the determinant as Quique’s boys started to believe really in their chances.
Simeone didn’t leave anything in the bench and he put his best players on the field with the only absence of Juanfran, out due to an injury. Atlético is fighting for the third position in the League and the Argentinean manager didn’t want to take any risk.
The two teams played well and they completed a quite excitant match. Espanyol and Atlético played with a lot of energy, good attitude and they offered brilliant minutes of football but none of them were able to create real good chances to score.
After half time Simeone decided to give Thomas a chance to try to stop Espanyol’s left side attack. In the first half Aarón created a few good cross balls and they couldn’t allow it any more. Despite the change Piatti was close to score twice but his shots didn’t find the goal.
Atletico took a step forward and began to put Espanyol in their area. The rojiblancos returned to base their danger in the strategy although they found in the white and blue team a level opponent. Quique’s boys defended well until Griezmann took advantage of a bad clearance and a bounced ball to beat Diego López. Espanyol answered quickly with a good action Baptistao who found a very secure Oblak to avoid the tie. Leo himself, in another very powerful ride, tested the safety of the Slovak goalkeeper who again stopped the Brazilian's shot. The attitude of the team was praiseworthy to the end and was plunged in search of a draw that never arrived but deserved for its effort.