Between the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Inter and the return leg of the Cup semifinals against Athletic, Atlético de Madrid showed up in Almería very disconnected from their league reality. It may sound logical given the possibility of fighting for two titles, but it is dangerous when Athletic continues to push in the standings and when Simeone's team faced the most needy team in Spanish football. Two left-footed shots by Luka Romero prevented the Colchonero victory and tied the goals of Correa and De Paul.

Without Griezmann and with Morata called up but on the bench, Cholo gave his attack to the originality of Lino and the impetus of Memphis and Correa, two substitutes forced to take advantage of the unexpected opportunity that has been presented to them due to the injuries of their teammates. And the Argentine landed before anyone else in Andalusia.

In minute 2, Reinildo, an expeditious center back in defense but with gaps in attack, invented an extraordinary slalom between two rivals, pipe included, to stand on the back line and assist Correa in the center of the area. The forward did not fail, relieving the little red-and-white tension and stabbing the spirit of Almería, who had not yet won in the League.

The locals, without Arribas, a substitute, but with Viera and the young Luka Romero, decided not to lose air with the game and with the League, aware despite everything that the dream of salvation is almost impossible. Perhaps for that reason, for breathing like someone who knows that he has nothing more to lose because he has barely won, they reacted.. Garitano has relied these weeks on winter signings, clear of the negative trend of the first months. Lozano was the first to try with a long shot and a header, both occasions after a red and white loss.. Atlético fell asleep, tired muscularly and mentally from Milan's effort and thinking about Thursday's duel in San Mamés. And he suffered.

In the 26th minute, Luka Romero, that boy who debuted at 16 with Mallorca in the Second Division (now he is 19), tied the game with a colossal left foot shot that surprised Oblak.. All after another red-and-white loss that resulted in Pubill's unopposed start up to three quarters of the rival field.. Simeone's face was a poem. And the relaxation of his team, too much.

The goal gave wings to an Almería that saw itself with enough virtues to knock down the worst version of the rojiblancos, sustained only by the attempts of Samu Lino. Slow and imprecise in the midfield, neither Koke, nor Barrios nor De Paul performed at their level and Atlético never found rhythm.

Simeone's changes

After the break, Simeone's pulse did not tremble (it never trembles) and he left the locker room with a decided double change. He sat Koke on Lino and brought on Llorente and Riquelme. A notice that spread to the rest of the team. In the 56th minute, a remote-controlled clearance by Nahuel Molina found De Paul in the center of the field, with space. The Argentine drove to the area while Robertone and Radovanovic were bailing, and tried a shot that deflected the center back and ended at 1-2.

Riquelme sent a ball to the crossbar in the best minutes of Atlético, who saw the 1-3 decision up close, but between Viera and Luka Romero they invented the tie. The Canarian saw the Argentine inside the area and he, with the calm of a veteran and the quality of a world-class footballer, defined with magic against Oblak.. His first two goals in the League to give life to the bottom of the table.

Simeone squeezed his bullets in the final stretch, bringing on Morata in attack and Saúl and Witsel in the center of the field, always looking for the energy he was missing on the pitch. The Spanish forward had the two clearest chances in the final minutes, but he was not successful. Two volleys, one with the left and one with the right, which he couldn't send into the net. Melero, in '94, also had one to give the Andalusians their first victory of the season.

The cliché is easy: the result does not serve either of them. Atlético drops points again and could be trapped by Athletic in fourth place and Almería is 11 away from salvation.