by The Cup has long ceased to be a dish of good taste for Simeone’s Atlético. The competition has been extremely difficult since that distant title in May 2013, when Miranda brought the red and white fans to ecstasy with an imperial header at the Bernabéu. Since then, fiascos have been accumulating, some very loud, without anyone within the club seeming to care too much. There are other priorities.
Against Lugo we saw another of those games of apparent general blackout, with little or no fluidity, without the ability or desire to take the measure. Not even Correa’s early goal was enough for Atlético, two divisions above the locals, to hit the table and take advantage to resolve the ballot quickly. He preferred to live at the mercy of events and almost paid for it. The changes at half-time and the success of Memphis prevented the debacle, but the image was not good.
As he had warned, Simeone presented the match as an opportunity to shine for the less common. Also for those who are almost invisible to him, like Javi Galán or Soyuncu. Both were protagonists. The first, unprecedented in the red and white shirt since November 2, took advantage of a good long ball from Saúl to cross from the left to Correa in the goal that opened the scoring as soon as the match began (minute 2). It was a promising start for the side, who seemed eager after frustrating his coach in his last appearances. But continuity was again lacking. He ended up diluted, like the rest of his teammates, without much more merit to compete for the position with Lino or Riquelme, the men he has ahead of him in the fight for the left lane.
Soyuncu is a separate case. Between injuries and mistakes, his time at Atlético is turning into an ordeal. The Turk had just been sent off against Sevilla with a straight red card three minutes after taking the field, and in Lugo Leandro Antonetti, a young and athletic forward in Murcia, but of Puerto Rican nationality, who beat him by speed after also overcoming He overlooked Giménez, and tied the game with a shot close to the post that Oblak couldn’t reach.
It was somewhat controversial, because the play began with a penalty request from Atlético after Tabuaço, Lugo’s goalkeeper, knocked down Azpilicueta after getting tangled with the ball in the area. The referee did not whistle and the long ball thrown by the goalkeeper to get out of trouble was the one that Antonetti beat Giménez. A very Atlético play.
Between one goal and another, a blurred version of an Atlético team that had not yet recovered from the Girona setback was seen. Lugo, on the other hand, used the extra enthusiasm and drive that usually accompanies lower-category cup teams to take control of the match. The Galicians took all the divided balls and their pressure increased the visitor’s anger.
There was almost no more news from Atlético’s offense in the entire first half, except for a poorly hit left-footed shot by Memphis that hit the side of the red. Riquelme, one of the few regulars who started alongside Oblak and Witsel, was the one who tried the hardest. He was also the one who received the most blows from the rival defense.
In the other area there was more activity. Narro and Antoñín entered easily on the wings and Antonetti, determined to become the hero of the duel, forced Giménez to take the ball over the goal line in another point-blank shot.
Atlético’s feelings were so bad at half-time that Simeone decided to suddenly bring on De Paul, Koke and Griezmann. The mattress set gained packaging and presence, although the general photography still took a while to change. Before, Giménez saved his team again by taking a shot off the line against Castrín’s crossbar. And also before, González Fuertes forgave the second yellow card to Quintana from Lugo after a tough challenge on Witsel.
It was when the embarrassing defeats against Cultural and Cornellá began to appear in memory that Memphis managed to restore peace to Atlético with a double in eight minutes that resolved the tie and allowed them to start thinking about the Arabian Super Cup. Azpilicueta might not be there, who left the field early with knee pain.
