Renan Lodi’s brace was enough for Atletico Madrid to see out mid-table battlers Celta Vigo at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Atletico Madrid kept up the momentum from their last two games to get a comfortable victory on board as they saw out Celta Vigo at the Wanda Metropolitano. The win lets them keep up the pressure on Barcelona and leapfrog them in the standings temporarily, with the Blaugrana only playing on Sunday night.
Geoffrey Kondogbia was key to the opening goal after his long ball troubled the Celta Vigo defence, as the ball sneaked between the post and goalkeeper, and Renan Lodi was there at the right time to slot it in.
Kondogbia was instrumental in the second strike, with the midfielder expertly setting up Lodi for his and the team’s second, which was the first brace of the full-back’s career. Overall, Atletico played comfortably and showed no signs of uncertainty that have been visible in the past few weeks.
The result will certainly boost their chances of finishing in the top four as they now close down on Real Betis, who remain a point ahead while narrowly going past Barcelona on the table. However, the Blaugrana now have two games in hand over Atletico. Here’s how the players fared in Atletico’s 2-0 win over Celta Vigo.
Jan Oblak: 6/10
Oblak continued his resurgence as he put in yet another solid display in goal. He expertly claimed all possible crosses and free-kicks to relieve the pressure off the defenders while also making a couple of good saves and maintaining a clean sheet in the end.
Stefan Savic: 5.5/10
Savic looked out of ideas at the back, which was visible in him consistently looking to clear the ball than build with it. He picked up a booking, which rules him out of the crucial game against third-placed Real Betis.
Jose Maria Gimenez: 5/10
A very aggressive showing from the Uruguayan, as some of his challenges may have caused him problems. One, in particular, was his tackle on Aspas, which led to a dangerous Celta Vigo counter, and he picked up a needless yellow card.
Reinildo Mandava: 7/10
Playing as a third centre-back to accommodate Lodi at wing-back, Reinildo got a massive game under his belt. A solid defensive effort was on the cards, and he showed great suitability to having the ball at his feet. He also made a crucial block early in the first period to deny a chance which might have resulted in a Celta goal.
Sime Vrsaljko: 6/10
Vrsaljko provided good support for the somewhat off-paced Savic on the right side of the Atletico Madrid defence. He also offered a different style in the offensive areas, especially in the second half, as his running on the flank caused many problems to the Celta backline.
Marcos Llorente: 6.5/10
Llorente played in his preferred midfield role once more, although he was stationed more in a defensive position than having much impact. He did make a few notable contributions in the final third but to no effect.
Hector Herrera: 7/10
The Mexican has been in good form recently and played a competitive game against Celta. His work on the ball became useful for starting attacks, as Herrera often found the likes of Joao Felix or Angel Correa upfront. Defensively, he orchestrated the press expertly and kept the pressure on Celta’s attackers and midfielders.
Geoffrey Kondogbia: 8/10
Geoffrey Kondogbia. That’s it. That’s the tweet. pic.twitter.com/yeWEKTulBU
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) February 26, 2022
Kondogbia put in a terrific display, as he was in full control of the midfield and played crucial roles in Atletico Madrid’s goals. He is showing the form he displayed at the start of the season.
Renan Lodi: 8/10
After scoring his first career brace, Lodi will be delighted to have a match-winning influence on the game. His finish for the first strike was more about being in the right place at the right time, while the second was where he displayed clinical finishing.
Renan Lodi got emotional and started tearing up once he got substituted off and the crowd started chanting his name. ❤️? pic.twitter.com/cDEQ2SK3P9
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) February 26, 2022
Angel Correa: 4.5/10
Much like Felix, he could not find his feet offensively, as the good chances came few and far between to the Argentine. He actively led the line and pressed the backline to good effect, although he fell short at contributing with goals or assists.
Joao Felix: 5/10
Felix did not live up to the expectations placed after his performance against Manchester United. He was ineffective in his primary task of creating notable chances, although he showed good awareness with his off the ball movement.
SUBSTITUTES
Rodrigo De Paul: 6/10
With a two-goal cushion, Diego Simeone decided to change the shape and bring De Paul to solidify defensively. The move worked well as Atletico managed to keep a clean sheet.
Antoine Griezmann: 5/10
Simeone sent the Frenchman to freshen up the ideas in the final third, and Griezmann was as ineffective as Correa, who he replaced.
Thomas Lemar: N/A
Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Luis Suarez: N/A
Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
