Atletico Madrid drift past faltering RCD Mallorca

Atletico Madrid 3-0 RCD Mallorca

Just two points above the drop zone, given Jagoba Arrasate’s individual record is 13 defeats out of 15 against Diego Simeone, the collective Mallorqui back could feel the presence of the Metropolitano wall on Sunday afternoon. That said Arrasate will have pointed out to his men that this Atletico team are neither infallible nor completely fluid. Since November, Atletico had won just once by more than a single goal, and have only three wins in their last six Liga matches.

A free header over from Vedat Muriqi, the top scorer in either of these sides with 14, in the second minute, followed by a triple save from Leo Roman evidenced that neither team were the miserly outfits of recent years. First Alexander Sorloth, then Alex Baena and finally Giuliano Simeone were kept out, after several close calls beforehand in the opening 15 minutes. As they attempted to jumpstart the crowd, stuck in a Sunday lunch murmur, Diego Simeone’s side fought the temptation to let the game slip into a similar rhythm.

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Just five minutes later though, Marcos Llorente’s volley was parried well by the busy Roman, only this time Sorloth could hardly miss the rebound. His third consecutive goal in La Liga takes his tally to nine. It was on Atletico’s terms then that the game did slow, with little of incident following for 20 minutes, but by the same token, the Colchonero midfield began to doze a little. Mallorca followed two set-pieces with their most consistent spell of pressure in the final five minutes before the break, albeit Jan Oblak’s hands were warmed only by his encouragement for his defenders.

Atletico Madrid amble past Mallorca comeback attempt

The general sense of malaise impregnated the second half too, and Mallorca took that as a sign of encouragement. It was no surprise when Diego Simeone was the first to react, withdrawing Alex Baena for the willing Nicolas Gonzalez. As tends to be the case at the Metropolitano, Pablo Barrios took it upon himself to change the momentum, shooting wide left first, and finding Sorloth with a cross to the far post, but one the Norwegian could only hoist into the air for Roman to claim.

He did get better contact on Julian Alvarez’s set-piece in the 67th minute, but couldn’t direct it to either side of the Mallorca shot-stopper, and even if Atletico were finding clearer openings, the crowd grew gradually more irritated. Between Atletico’s lack of clarity, the referee and Mallorca’s refusal to be show the frailties that were present in the first half, the game threatened a nervy end, as had occurred against Alaves the week prior.

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The fears of the home crowd were crystalised by swirling ball from Sergi Darder, which Muriqi still got a head on between two centre-backs. The stadium held its breath as it dropped just wide of the far post. The relief was palpable with 15 minutes to go. Marc Pubill, who continues to stand out for Atletico, and Llorente put together a neat exchange on the right, and the latter’s ball flashed across the box. David Lopez barely saw it before Mateu Jaume’s attempted clearance smacked him in the face. He sank as he realised it had gone into his own goal.

For Atletico, Thiago Almada drifting in from the right side of the box to thunder the ball into the roof of the net with two minutes to go gave the victory some shine. He had declared he would staying at Atletico beyond amid rumours of an exit, and as he wheeled away to celebrate, he pointed at Diego Simeone, squatting in celebration too.

Los Colchoneros move up to third, ahead of Villarreal, after a largely comfortable afternoon. If there was a stage where it seemed Atletico be presented with a more complicated final act, they swiftly condemned the victory as routine. Simeone can now turn his attention to a vital Champions League clash at home to Bodo/Glimt on Wednesday without being too concerned about the impact on his players.

That would also be the worry for Mallorca. If the ball was not close enough for Muriqi to attack, Jagoba Arrasate’s side did not trouble Atletico. The Basque manager has been repeatedly keen to emphasize that his side must recover their defensive solidity in order put together a run of results, but have gone seven games without a clean sheet.

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