Atlético de Madrid passes test before the Deportivo and approaches the Barça

O Atlético de Madrid won today the Deportivo da Coruña, for 1-0, in meeting the 10th day of the Spanish Football League, approaching the leader Barcelona, in the antechamber of the first classic of the season.

In the Metropolitan, Julián Álvarez pointed out the only goal of the match, at 48 minutes, prolonging the invincibility of the Madrid Atlético in the championship and reducing the difference to the Barcelona leader in only two points, on the eve of the classic with Real Madrid, third ranked.

The ‘colchoneros’ confirmed favoritism and dominated the first part, but they had to ‘debelle’ the difficulties imposed by the Deportivo, who managed to discuss the game and was close to scoring for Amatucci, but Jan Oblak denied the goal to the Italian.

On the return of the resorts, Diego Simeone moved the team, launching Le Normand and Giuliano Simeone and offering Atlético greater capacity to press, which ended up bearing fruit shortly after, with the only goal of the match, pointed by Julián Álvarez, with assistance from Grimaldo.

In the discounts, the Deportivo had two opportunities to stall the duel through Kevin, but Oblak did not falter and hold the victory of the Madrilenes.

With this victory, the Atlético de Madrid, second ranked, strengthened the position in the title fight, now adding 25 points, minus two to the Barcelona leader, while the Deportivo added the eighth consecutive game without winning and is in the 10th position, with 11.

In the remaining games today, Elche defeated Rayo Vallecano in Madrid by 3-0, with goals from Federico Redondo (23), Fer Niño (36) and Germán Valera (68), at a meeting that was marked by protests from local fans.

Racing Santander received and won Espanyol by 2-1, with a twist on the scorer already in the second part: Edu Exposito put Espanyol in advantage, at 62, Jeanuel Belocian repos the equality, at 69, and Yassir Zabiri starred in the ‘cambalhota’ in the marker, at 84.

In the regional derby, Villarreal took the best over rival Valencia, who defeated in discounts by 2-1, at a meeting marked by two expulsions in 10 minutes, one in each team.

Pepelu advanced the hosts, at 38 minutes, of great penalty, after Dani Raba was overthrown in the area by the Portuguese Renato Veiga.

Alex Freeman tied the match, already at 69, and 10 minutes later Pape Gueye saw the red card straight, leaving Villarreal in numerical inferiority.

The equality of players was ‘response’ to the 89, after Harvey Elliot was admonished with the card incarnated by accumulation of yellows.

With the two teams playing with 10 elements, Georges Mikautadze scored the goal of Villarreal's victory at 90+7.