RCD Mallorca 1-0 Atletico Madrid: Diego Simeone’s side slump to defeat as worrying run of form continues
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Updated 10/11/2022 at 00:20 GMT
Vedat Muriqi's first-half strike saw Atletico Madrid’s woes continue as Mallorca beat the capital club 1-0 at Visit Mallorca Estadi. The loss means that Diego Simeone’s side have now drawn two and lost three of their last five games in all competitions, and sees Atleti down to sixth in the league table some 13 points off league leaders Barcelona. Mallorca are in 10th.
Vedat Muriqi of RCD Mallorca celebrates after scoring his team first goal during the LaLiga Santander match between RCD Mallorca and Atletico de Madrid at Visit Mallorca Estadi on November 09, 2022 in Mallorca, Spain
Image credit: Getty Images
Vedat Muriqi’s first-half strike heaped further misery upon Atletico Madrid, who suffered a 1-0 defeat to Mallorca at Son Moix.
Diego Simeone’s side put in a passive and often toothless display, creating very few chances as they slumped to a fifth game in a row without a win.
The hosts took the lead on 16 minutes when Muriqi netted for the fifth game running, bundling into an empty net from Jaume Costa’s pass after Jan Oblak had spilt Antonio Sanchez’s fierce drive.
Atletico had displayed little attacking quality up to this point, but they did have a goal disallowed almost immediately, with Alvaro Morata left cursing his luck after straying slightly offside before brilliantly finding the far top corner.
The striker was the visitors’ main attacking outlet, and forced Predrag Rajkovic into a smart save down to his right with a 20-yard effort after half-time. In truth, though, they were passive and poor in the opening hour, barely making the Mallorca back-line break into a sweat.
Morata had another golden opportunity in the dying minutes, a point-blank range header from a delightful Antoine Griezmann cross, only for the ‘keeper to deny him once again, before Amath Ndiaye spurned a chance to put the game to bed at the other end.
It mattered not, though, as Mallorca clung on for a third win in four matches - and their second successive 1-0 victory over Atleti.
TALKING POINT - Pressure mounting on Simeone
Diego Simeone remains a god-like figure in Madrid - after all, he has won eight major trophies with them - but the pressure is beginning to mount on the Argentine.
Atleti have now gone five games without a win, and their defence is a huge concern, given they have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven matches.
This was Simeone’s 598th game as manager of the club, so it would be a huge and brave decision to replace him, but they are nowhere near city rivals Real or Barcelona in the title race, with that point gap widening almost weekly.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Lee Kang-In (Mallorca). The South Korean may not be part of his country’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar, but it is difficult to see why on this display.
His twinkling toes and quick feet provided an incisive weapon for Mallorca, with the Atletico Madrid defence often having to resort to fouls to stop him in his tracks.
The final ball may have been lacking at times, but he made the difference going forward, having a hand in the goal and creating a handful of other chances for the hosts.
PLAYER RATINGS
MALLORCA: Rajkovic 8; Gonzales 7, Valjent 7, Raillo 7, Copete 6, Costa 6; Sanchez 6, de Galarreta 6, Baba 7, Kang-In 8; Muriqi 7. Subs: Battaglia 7, Ndiate n/a, Grenier n/a, Prats n/a, Russo n/a
Subs: Greif, Roman, Nastasic, Cufre, Kadewere, Rodriguez, Lago junior
ATLETICO MADRID: Oblak 5; Molina 6, Savic 6, Felipe 6, Reinildo 6; Llorente 6, de Paul, Witsel 6, Carrasco 6; Griezmann 5, Morata 5. Subs: Correa 6, Lemar 6, Koke 6, Reguilon 6
Subs: Grbic, Gomis, Diez, Hermoso, Niguez, Martin, Cunha
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
16’ GOAL! MALLORCA 1-0 ATLETICO MADRID (Muriqi). A fierce shot from distance is spilled by Jan Oblak, and it eventually falls to Muriqi in the box, who bundles into an empty net from close range. He's done it again!
22’ GOAL RULED OUT! GOAL! Morata thinks he’s equalised after receiving a superb pass and finding the far top corner, but the striker had made his run just too soon and is adjudged offside by VAR
82’ SAVED ON THE LINE. How did that not go in? A stunning cross from the right, the goalkeeper is behind the line, but he just about dives forward and keeps out a Morata header from point blank range
86’ WHAT! A! SAVE! That is a sensational stop from Rajkovic. He somehow keeps out a terrific effort from Morata, who dived at full stretch to meet Griezmann's cross. Honestly, that's terrific
KEY STATS
- After scoring in his fifth successive game, Vedat Muriqi has drawn level with Borja Inglesias as the second top scorer in La Liga on eight goals, behind only Robert Lewandowski
- Atletico Madrid have gone five games without a win for the first time since January to February 2020
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