Real Betis vs. Atletico Madrid: Winners and Losers from La Liga Game
Atletico Madrid ground out a key 1-0 victory over Real Betis on Sunday to leapfrog Real Madrid into second place in La Liga.
Koke stabbed home a rebound strike after Fernando Torres had forced a low save from Antonio Adan just seven minutes in, and that proved to be the goal that settled matters. Los Colchoneros missed a glut of chances late when attempting to ice it.
Here, B/R picks its winners and losers from the game.
Loser: Antoine Griezmann, Atletico Madrid
1 of 5
It just wouldn't happen for him. Try as he might, Antoine Griezmann could not find the back of the net at the Benito Villamarin on Sunday.
It's arguable there was an element of misfortune haunting his performance—after all, he was denied a clear penalty after a poor tackle from Heiko Westermann, and one of his shots did hit the post—but it's undeniable he had numerous chances to wrap things up and couldn't do it.
He blazed a one-on-one effort well over from a great position, struggled to get his shots on target and allowed the game to go all the way to the final whistle. His decision-making, on the whole, was pretty poor.
Atletico failed to put this one to bed early, and Griezmann was the chief culprit on a profligate night. B/R's Karl Matchett's description of "wasteful" on Twitter puts it lightly.
Winner: Yannick Carrasco, Atletico Madrid
2 of 5
Yannick Carrasco eventually faded, but his first-half exploits were absolutely excellent; not for the first time this season, he was the Atletico Madrid attack.
His ability to carry the ball sparked attacks, with much of Atleti's approach play emanating from the left side. He instigated several one-touch passing moves and looked dangerous bounding toward the box.
Atletico have played a little slow at times this season, and it's generally Carrasco who provides spark and impetus to their play. When teams sit in and defend deep he is vital; he is the only one who makes the necessary forward runs.
Loser: Xavi Torres, Real Betis
3 of 5
Xavi Torres was hauled off at half-time on Sunday as Pepe Mel re-shaped his midfield for the second period. The Spaniard struggled to get to grips with Atletico Madrid's system and made way for the more impressive Dani Ceballos. Betis improved thanks to his introduction, leaving Torres in a tough spot.
Torres started the season as a key first-team member but has fallen down the pecking order of late. It had been weeks since he'd started a game until Sunday, and now, it might be a few more before he plays again.
Winner: Fernando Torres, Atletico Madrid
4 of 5
Another bright spot on the night for Atletico Madrid was the performance of Fernando Torres, who showed some nice touches, linked play well and generally impressed in the forward line.
He chased a number of clearances down and turned them into long passes, rolled back the years with some silky touches and flicks and laid up one fantastic chance in particular for Antoine Griezmann in the first half. It was his shot that led to Koke's mop-up goal.
Diego Simeone's been very coy on whether or not the Spaniard's deal in Madrid will be extended beyond this season—"I demand 100 percent of him as a player and then time will define whether or not he renews," the manager told reporters this week (h/t Football Espana)—but Simeone will be very happy with how he filled in for Jackson Martinez here.
Loser: Pepe Mel, Real Betis
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Despite battling hard and enduring a horror game with regard to injuries, Pepe Mel lands in the loser's column. His record at the Benito Villamarin necessitates the decision.
The Beticos have the worst home form in La Liga, recording just one win in six attempts and gleaning just four points overall on home soil, per WhoScored.com. As a promoted side, they should be relying on their home form and magnificent stadium to give them a boost, but instead, Mel and his men were given a round of boos at half-time as the teams trudged in.
Despite Real Betis' respectable mid-table position, all is not well in Seville.
