“Simeone’s Gamble Fails as Atlético Madrid Draws 0-0 with Espanyol”
Atlético Madrid achieved their highest xG total of 2.27 without scoring during the Diego Simeone era, enduring a frustrating 0-0 draw at home against newly-promoted Espanyol, marking their second dropped points in three games.
Despite fielding an offensive line-up, Atlético couldn’t score, with Rodrigo Riquelme’s efforts being disallowed due to offside.
In this analysis, we examine the key takeaways from the match.
Against Girona, Diego Simeone’s tactical substitutions were crucial to securing a win. However, his decisions against Espanyol were flawed, and he faced significant criticism for the outcome. Simeone is still adjusting to his squad and figuring out his best team, especially with several players injured, and this time it cost him points.
His decision to make three substitutions at half-time was a risky move. Atlético’s initial strategy wasn’t effective, and as Espanyol became more comfortable, the early pressure faded. Introducing Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente, and Pablo Barrios seemed logical, but the gamble was all-or-nothing. If it didn’t work early in the second half, Atlético would have limited options against tired Espanyol players, which indeed happened.
The situation worsened when Simeone made an unexpected substitution, bringing on Reinildo Mandava for Alexander Sørloth in the 73rd minute. Sørloth, though not having his best game, was a target man needed to score. The frequent changes in formation—four different systems in just 28 minutes of the second half—caused disjointed and forced play.