A brilliance by Borja Iglesias defeats Atlético and keeps Celta in the fight for the Champions League

With little at stake, beyond knowing whether they will finish third or fourth in the League, Atlético fell to a Celta that remains alive in the fight with Betis for the fifth place that grants a spot in the next Champions League. Not losing composure and taking advantage of the only clear chance they created was enough for Claudio Giráldez’s team to win.

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ATMAtlético

0

Jan Oblak, Dávid Hancko, José María Giménez (Robin Le Normand, min. 19), Matteo Ruggeri, Marc Pubill, Álex Baena (Obed Vargas, min. 68), Koke, Marcos Llorente, Ademola Lookman (Nahuel Molina, min. 59), Alexander Sørloth and Antoine Griezmann (Thiago Almada, min. 60)

CELCelta

1

Ionut Radu, Javi Rodríguez, Marcos Alonso, Yoel Lago, Ilaix Moriba, Álvaro Núñez (Sergio Carreira, min. 67), Fer López, Óscar Mingueza (Mihailo Ristic, min. 88), Borja Iglesias (Ferran Jutglà, min. 67), Williot Swedberg (Hugo Álvarez, min. 76) and Pablo Durán (Iago Aspas, min. 68)

Goals 0-1 min. 61: Borja Iglesias

Referee Iosu Galech Apezteguía

Yellow cards Ilaix Moriba (min. 18), Álex Baena (min. 65), Fer López (min. 76)

After being eliminated by Arsenal in the Champions semifinals, Diego Pablo Simeone had turned the reception from the red-and-white fans into a kind of referendum both for him and his players. Between the rain poncho and the attractions set up by the club around the Metropolitano for the day reserved for children that delayed the filling of the stands, the judgment on the fifth consecutive season without a title to celebrate took place with plenty of free space. There were no reproaches when the lineup was announced nor when Atlético took the field. The crowd accepted that the team had made it among the top four in Europe and the cup runner-up. If anything, the 52,000 spectators recorded, the worst attendance of the season, reflected some disappointment at having nothing to fight for in the League so early.

Simeone’s players came out, without the injured Julián Alvarez and Giuliano, determined to feel obliged to please and offer a victory. Baena, paired with Koke, was the one who most reflected the desire to satisfy the crowd. He kept offering himself and trying to direct the red-and-white attacks in the first minutes. A volley from Lookman, cornered at the edge of the small box, hit the crossbar and confirmed that proud start from the red-and-whites. The Nigerian also could have earned a penalty if the referee had judged that Javi Rodríguez blocked the ball with his right hand after going down following a nutmeg he was subjected to.

Not even 20 minutes had passed when Giménez collided his right ankle with Borja Iglesias’s shin while contesting a loose ball. The Uruguayan once again showed that image that has accompanied him so much in recent years. He was replaced to the shout of “Uruguayan” after posting a message on his social media on Friday that sounded like a farewell.

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Atlético dominated from the start and the handbrake with which Celta managed surprised. For a team involved in a head-to-head with Betis for that fifth place that will grant a spot in the next Champions League, Claudio Giráldez’s side played more to stay organized than to test a team coming off a tough setback. Moriba’s deployment and Fer López’s judgment and good presence were the most notable. Celta gave the impression of waiting for Tuesday’s effort in London to dull Atlético’s initial fervor. Radu barely had any troubles, only worried by two tame shots from Griezmann and Sorloth before halftime.

Atlético did not stop trying to control the match in the opponent’s half in the second half. Baena delivered two chances that nearly resulted in goals. In the first, Radu saved the good spur that Sorloth put in, and in the second, Lookman arrived forced to be able to direct the shot with no one in the goal. It was Celta who found the goal after an Atlético turnover. Pubill could not intercept a through pass from Swedberg and Borja Iglesias skillfully chipped the ball over Oblak. The youth player Cubo had the equalizer in a shot that went too wide and a header that Radu saved.

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Standings

Position	PT	PJ	PG	PE	PP
2 RMA	77	34	24	5	5
3 VLL	68	34	21	5	8
4 ATM	63	35	19	6	10
5 BET	53	34	13	14	7
6 CEL	50	35	13	11	11

Position	PT	PJ	PG	PE	PP
4 ATM	63	35	19	6	10
5 BET	53	34	13	14	7
6 CEL	50	35	13	11	11
7 GET	44	34	13	5	16
8 ATH	44	34	13	5	16