Koke’s 700th Atlético de Madrid match saw his boyhood club pull out a visually-unappealing 1-0 victory over south Madrid rivals Getafe.
Coming off the final international break of 2025, both Atlético Madrid
and Getafe seemed inspired to attack, but the match slowly transitioned into a sluggish affair for more than an hour. The first half of play saw Atlético’s dependence on Marcos Llorente and Giuliano Simeone become that much more evident, as outside of the first 10 minutes of the match, Los Colchoneros were unable to produce much of anything against Getafe’s staunch back line.
Giacomo Raspadori proved to be a valuable substitution with a great attempt on Getafe’s goal in the 70th minute and then a fantastic “assist” on the eventual game-winning goal in the 82nd minute to seal the result for Los Colchoneros. The win is an important one, as it keeps Atlético firmly in the top four and just four points off league leaders Real Madrid. Most notably, Los Colchoneros have won consecutive away matches for the first time since January 2025.
Please, Marcos, be OK
Diego Simeone’s most-used outfield player appeared to pick up an Achilles injury, but it was described by the club as “discomfort” that resulted in his 14th-minute substitution for Antoine Griezmann. Llorente arguably has been the most dependable player in red and white this season, and he will undoubtedly be missed whether he misses just one game or several.
What comes with his absence could mean an increased role for out-of-form Nahuel Molina, who was a bit uneasy but got to the finish line on Sunday night. It’s no secret that Los Colchoneros have been very reliant on attacks from the right-hand side. Llorente is obviously a crucial part of this, as he’s able to start the attack from the right in the build-up or take the ball all the way up the right flank himself.
Maybe this could turn into an opportunity for Simeone. Personally, I’d love to see him give Marc Pubill a chance at RCB, and perhaps give Molina a shot at playing the Llorente role as a playmaking defender on the right.
Alternatively, Simeone must realize that his team is also perfectly capable of attacking on the left, and this could be an opportunity to shift Nico Gonzalez, Álex Baena, or Thiago Almada into more of a LM/LW position to help generate chances from that side. Either way, Los Rojiblancos get to find out very quickly, as Inter Milan await them in a critical Champions League matchup in midweek.
Raspadori “fixes” recent attacking struggles
A very sluggish Atleti couldn’t seem to find a way through. The first half was particularly bland in attack for Simeone’s men as Llorente’s absence was particularly felt. Getafe were mostly unbothered by the Rojiblanco attack for most of the night.
Until the closing stages.
Jack Raspadori was a breath of fresh air when he replaced for Julián Alvarez in the 59th minute. Great performances in the Champions League, and now as the hero against a Madrid-based rival, should endear the player to Simeone. It was his stinging shot that forced David Soria into a super save on 70 minutes; twelve minutes later, he played the cross that Domingos Duarte stuck in his own net.
El Cholo does have something of a log jam at Raspadori’s position with Baena, Almada and the Italian all playing a similar attacking midfielder role. But given the comparative lack of bit on the left, Simeone could take one of the aforementioned new signings to that flank and give the remainder a shot at playing more centrally.
Maybe this was just a blip on the radar against a very annoying José Bordalás side; after all, Atlético have scored in al 13 league matches to date, something that last happened in 1978. Atleti have won five in a row in all competitions and have not lost in LaLiga since the opening day. But it is noteworthy that Raspadori came through in the clutch, and Simeone knows it will take everyone to continue chipping away at the league leaders.
Vintage Cholismo
No Guiliano Simeone. No Jan Oblak. No Robin Le Normand. No Marcos Llorente (for the majority of the match). A forgettable performance from your star player. And a 1-0 win from an own goal.
It doesn’t get much more Cholismo than that.
This match was ugly and full of suffering. You either were an Atlético supporter, Getafe supported or a gambler to have watched every minute of this one.
But this is the kind of scenario that the Man in Black has thrived in for years. Simeone found a way to break the Bordalás back line and pull out an important result away from home; he even picked up a yellow card for dissent on the way there.
As you push for titles, these are the types of matches you have to win. And Atlético are certainly going to have a few more matches just like this. These three points — bringing Atleti to within four points of Real Madrid — will be helpful for the fights ahead.
