Malaga vs. Atletico Madrid: Winners and Losers from La Liga
Atletico Madrid missed the chance to move to the top of the Liga table for Christmas, as they fell, 1-0, to Malaga at La Rosaleda on Sunday evening.
The hosts dominated possession in the first half and created all the clear-cut chances, with Atletico struggling to even get their foot on the ball. The visitors' task was made even harder by Gabi's early second-half red card for handball, forcing them to defend even deeper.
Eventually the pressure told, with Charles slamming an effort into the net via defender Diego Godin's deflection—likely to be given as an own goal—five minutes from time. The win represents los Boquerones' fourth of the season and moves them into 13th place.
Here, B/R picks its winners and losers from the game.
Winner: Ignacio Camacho, Malaga
1 of 5
Ignacio Camacho makes Malaga an infinitely better side whenever he plays, and his performance on Sunday supports that statement.
His tireless display in the centre of the park set the tone for a very impressive los Boquerones showing, with his passing and distribution particularly good. He set up two clear-cut chances for Charles by lifting delicate balls into his path—one of which caught the Atletico defence high up and forced a goal-line clearance from Juanfran.
He was brought back into the XI despite Malaga winning last week without him, and he put in the kind of showing that vindicates that managerial faith.
Loser: Filipe Luis, Atletico Madrid
2 of 5
Filipe Luis struggled for large chunks of this Atletico Madrid loss, starting well but fading dramatically and struggling to keep a lid on Malaga’s right-sided attack.
As Roberto Rosales grew into the game more and more, Luis shrivelled. “[He] lost out in challenges, gave [the] ball away, [provided] no support and [went] missing for goal,” B/R’s Karl Matchett summarised on Twitter after the game.
It’s that final point that was perhaps most salient: He was nowhere to be seen as Charles slammed his winner in via Diego Godin’s leg late on. It wasn’t the first time the Uruguayan had been forced to step across and defend against Malaga attackers in space on his side.
Winner: Raul Albentosa, Malaga
3 of 5
Raul Albentosa put in a masterful defensive showing Sunday evening, slamming the door on most of Atletico Madrid’s attacks and contributing hugely to another Malaga clean sheet.
He dispossessed and tackled with ease, brought the ball forward well in the second half and played some very good longer passes into his strikers’ feet, initiating swift counters.
His frame makes him appear the lumbering type on paper, but he moves well in space and opened up very well on the ball when Malaga were asked to force the issue.
Luciano Vietto, Atletico Madrid
4 of 5
Luciano Vietto was given another shot at the starting role in Atletico Madrid’s forward line Sunday but squandered it. Withdrawn at half-time on a booking, the evening’s work can be considered poor.
His 45-minute performance was a bit of a non-event, as he failed to assert himself in any way and saw very little of the ball. As Malaga dominated possession and Atletico were starved of it, Vietto made no effort to turn the tide, putting in a rather meek, timid performance.
With Fernando Torres on in his place, Jackson Martinez returning to fitness and Angel Correa waiting in the wings, competition is simply too tough for Vietto to not turn up.
Winner: Charles, Malaga
5 of 5
It’s not often a Malaga player is designated a match-winner due to their seasonal struggle for goals thus far, but Charles bucked that particular trend Sunday.
His 86th-minute winner, forced in at the near post via a deflection off Diego Godin’s leg, was a just reward for his efforts; he ran his socks off all evening, worked the channels and moved instinctively.
The goal may well go down as a Godin own goal, but La Rosaleda was under no illusions as to who made it happen. Charles missed two good chances in the first half laid on by Ignacio Camacho, but he made the difference when it mattered and earned his side a crucial three-point haul.
