Lacklustre Atletico held in Leganes stalemate
MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s poor week following their Champions League defeat by Chelsea continued as they lost more ground in the La Liga title race in a 0-0 draw at modest Madrid neighbours Leganes on Saturday.
But for a brilliant second-half save from Jan Oblak to deny Nabil El Zhar, Leganes could even have registered their first ever win over Atletico in the top flight.
A third draw in seven games this season sees Atletico fall a point behind Sevilla, who moved up to second earlier with a 2-0 win over Malaga.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone made four changes from the team that started against Chelsea in an attempt to refresh his side.
However, the visitors still looked leaden-footed and confused by a change of system to three at the back.
And Simeone blamed his side’s effort against the English champions as well as a demanding early season schedule that has seen Atletico play just three of their nine games so far this season at their new Wanda Metropolitano stadium.
“The boys have played a lot of games in quick succession since the last international break,” said Simeone.
“They are human, their work is to run hard and it isn’t easy to respond 100 per cent in every game.
“Given the difficulties of all the away games we’ve had, the Champions League games and having to get used to our new home, I think we are in good shape.”
“Griezmann has given us a bad habit of always relying on him to resolve our problems going forward,” added Simeone.
“The rest of the strikers and the team have to help him to play closer to the area and create more chances so it doesn’t solely fall on him.”
However, without the Frenchman the best Atletico could muster was a Diego Godin header that Cuellar comfortably turned behind.
Sevilla had to wait until 22 minutes from time to open the scoring from the penalty spot at the Sanchez Pizjuan and with some fortune when Roberto Rosales was harshly adjudged to have brought down Joaquin Correa inside the box.
Ever Banega coolly dispatched the spot-kick and just two minutes later Luis Muriel showed great pace to burst clear from the halfway line into the Malaga box before firing inside Roberto’s near post.
Alaves ended a run of six defeats to start the season with a 20 win at Levante thanks to goals from Munir El Haddadi and Alvaro Medran.
And former West Brom manager Pepe Mel’s job at Deportivo la Coruna was saved by a secondhalf fightback to beat Getafe 2-1. AFP