Atletico Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao: Winners and Losers from La Liga
Atletico Madrid saw off Athletic Bilbao 2-1 at the Vicente Calderon on Sunday night to go joint top of La Liga with Barcelona.
After Aymeric Laporte had put the visitors ahead with an early goal, Saul Niguez and Antoine Griezmann struck back to the delight of Diego Simeone.
Overall, it was a deserved win and, apart from the fact they conceded, it was ground out in classic, gritty, Atletico style. Here are the winners and losers from the game.
Winner: Antoine Griezmann
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The fans in the Vicente Calderon stood up as one and applauded Griezmann from the field—and not for the first time this season.
The French striker had scored the winning goal, battered home from outside the box with his trusty left foot, earning Atletico victory over fierce, competitive opponents.
It was a goal suitable for settling a clash like this: hugely physical, combative and yet not without tactical nuance or skill.
Griezmann continues his personal good run of form, which by no small chance also coincides with Atletico's own recent improved performances.
He would also have been happy to score against Athletic, because he spent many of his formative years playing for Real Sociedad, their Basque Country rivals.
In fact, the 24-year-old has scored more goals against Los Leones than any other side, putting a total of seven past them.
Loser: Raul Garcia
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Raul Garcia did not have a happy return to his former hunting ground.
He would have appreciated the fine ovation he received from the fans, who chanted his name before kick-off, as they welcomed back one of their favourite sons.
Even at full-time, the fans chanted his name, despite clashing with Jan Oblak in the dying embers of stoppage time, or maybe because of it.
He showed his fighting spirit they adored him for in previous years, on his first return after leaving this summer.
However, a player like Garcia doesn't show up to leave empty-handed.
And however grateful he may be for the emotional reception he received from Atletico supporters, it will pain him that he could not bring anything back from the capital to his new home.
He would rather have departed with Atletico supporters cursing him for existing (not that they would) and three points in the bag.
Winner: Jan Oblak
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It's rare to feature a goalkeeper in a winners and losers section after conceding a goal, but without a couple of brilliant interventions from the 22-year-old Slovenian stopper, Simeone's team wouldn't have won the game.
Oblak is the clear first choice for Atletico, and it finally feels like they now have a goalkeeper who can earn them points, like when they had Thibaut Courtois on loan from Chelsea.
During the season they won the league, 2013-14, Courtois' heroics between the sticks gave them an edge.
Oblak is still not at the level of the big Belgian (and few ever will be), but Atletico can now depend on their goalkeeper.
The key intervention was a one-on-one stop from Aritz Aduriz. The Athletic striker has been in spectacular form this season, and his confidence is running high.
But Oblak came out and made himself big, denying the hitman from sending his side ahead with the score poised at 1-1.
And for Athletic's goal in the first half—scored by Laporte—Oblak had little chance.
In fact, the goal came from a corner conceded after Oblak had produced another fine save, from Aduriz.
Loser: Luciano Vietto
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The young Argentine forward has impressed in recent weeks, and Simeone has responded by giving Luciano Vietto increased responsibilities. He has started the last three league and Champions League fixtures.
What Simeone is looking for in a strike partner for Griezmann is someone who can score himself as well as help the Frenchman out by creating both space and opportunities.
None of the other striking options in the squad seem to be taking the bull by the horns.
Offside ruled out a Vietto goal early on, but it was only when Fernando Torres replaced him in the 61st minute did Griezmann start to feel more free.
Torres has his own, well-noted problems, with his 100th goal seeming like a mirage in the desert, but his holdup play and work was generally good on this appearance from the bench.
And just five minutes after Torres came on, Griezmann found the net.
Winner: La Liga
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Considering the accolades that Barcelona have basked in over the past few months—and not undeservedly—you might be surprised to find them sharing top spot in the table.
Atletico Madrid's victory put them level with the champions on 35 points at La Liga's summit, with the teams sharing identical records of 11 wins, two draws and two defeats.
With Real Madrid third and playing against Villarreal after Atletico's game, knowing if they won they could just be two points behind the top two, it's clear that it's tight at the top and extremely competitive.
The Big Two has become a Big Three, and Atletico deserve their place at the table.
The likelihood is, assuming as favourites both Atletico and Real Madrid win the rest of their games this year, by the time Barcelona resume La Liga action, they could be third themselves.
Even though all three teams still have their flaws, they are individually strong forces that should all go far in the Champions League, too.
To have these sides, with their three conflicting styles, battling in La Liga week in and week out is a pleasure.
And of the other teams in La Liga? Well, here Athletic gave it a fantastic crack of the whip, and on Saturday, Deportivo took home a point from the Camp Nou.
