Real Valladolid 0-5 Atletico Madrid: Atleti dismantle struggling hosts to go second
Atletico Madrid decisively defeated Real Valladolid, who are currently at the bottom of the table, with a commanding 5-0 win at the Jose Zorrilla Stadium, marking their seventh consecutive victory in all competitions.
The first half was filled with excitement as Atletico took the lead in the 26th minute, with Clement Lenglet scoring his inaugural goal for the club, converting a simple tap-in from a cross delivered by Marcos Llorente.
Interestingly, the French defender had not found the net in LaLiga since his time at Barcelona, where he last scored against Valladolid at the same venue nearly four years ago.
Nine minutes later, Julián Alvarez joined the scoring when Karl Hein could only deflect Antoine Griezmann’s initial shot into his path, allowing the Argentine to capitalize on the loose ball following an impressive run and cross from Giuliano Simeone.
The atmosphere turned tense for Valladolid as Rodrigo De Paul netted a third goal after a rapid counterattack, with Griezmann skillfully deceiving Javi Galán’s cross from the left.
It was a punishing first half for Valladolid, which could have been even more damaging had goals from Giuliano and Jose Maria Gimenez not been disallowed for offside.
The anticipated fourth goal arrived after the interval, with Griezmann elegantly lifting the ball over Hein after demonstrating remarkable composure and movement in the box to receive a through ball from Alvarez. This display of skill elicited applause from the Valladolid supporters, showcasing a commendable spirit of sportsmanship.
As the match approached its final 20 minutes, the home fans were given a glimmer of hope when Ivan Sanchez's long-range attempt struck the crossbar. Kike Perez then attempted to add to the scoreline, but his shot went wide of Jan Oblak’s goal, indicating a slight improvement from the hosts in the second half.
The visitors managed to score a fifth goal almost at the very end of the match, as Alexander Sorloth tapped in Angel Correa’s cross.
This result marked a disappointing night for Paulo Pezzolano’s team, who have now gone seven home league matches without a victory for the first time since April 2010. In contrast, Diego Simeone’s squad ascends to second place, albeit temporarily, pending the outcome of the match between city rivals Real Madrid and Getafe on Sunday.
SportsLigue