Atlético and Alavés take a nap at Mendizorroza

It was probably the time, it was the hunger, but the truth is that the match at Mendizorroza was a game to chew on. The first half resembled a shortbread sandwich, and the second had a bit more spice, but nothing spectacular. The teams were dense, close, and had few chances. The midfield was a guerrilla battle. There were more duels than shots, and imagination and opportunities were conspicuous by their absence. The result: a goalless draw. [Report and statistics, 0-0]

Only De Paul and a surprisingly agile Griezmann seemed willing to break the norm. Through dribbling and the occasional sharp pass, they attempted to break the monotony of football at lunchtime. The problem is that the Argentine occasionally took too many risks against a very aggressive Babazorro team. And Cholo was driven to distraction when the ball changed possession closer to his goal than the opponent's.

Alavés is in another battle. A more important one: fighting for second place and securing the Champions League title, something already almost a done deal. Los Babazorros are fighting to stay in the league. The win against Real Sociedad was a big step forward, one of relying on oneself, and a draw against the third-place team in LaLiga could be worth gold in the end.

Halfway through the first half, there was a sort of timeout caused by a fainting spell in the Mendizorroza stands. Both coaches took advantage of the situation to correct things, with Cholo being considerably more intense in his explanations than Chacho Coudet . This wasn't because Atlético had a title in hand; it's simply how Argentines live football.

The pace of the match didn't seem to change much. The only player who showed any more speed was Giuliano . As always. The Argentine doesn't need to return to a team special to motivate him when it's time to step onto the pitch. There, he experienced both sides of football: injuries and becoming a Primera Division player.

Only a red card in a clash between Julián and Garcés sparked the excitement that football wasn't providing. It was a dispute in which the Argentine arrived late and ended up accidentally hitting the defender with his studs. Munuera drew his ball too quickly, and VAR had to correct him to downgrade the caution.

And it wasn't De Paul 's turnover, but Barrios' , who created the first big chance of the match at the start of the second half. Antonio Blanco stole the ball, ran into space, and passed to Kike García at the near post, but Le Normand was very alert to prevent the rejuvenated Babazorro striker. Twelve goals this season that are contributing greatly to the Glorioso 's safety, although the team has only lost two of its last eight matches.

Just before the 60th minute, as is his custom, Simeone made changes to his bench. Sorloth came on to provide more of an attacking presence, replacing Griezmann , who was more involved in building up the game than finishing. Lino was also a dagger last season, and this season a serrated knife, incisive in other games, inconsequential in others.

Final chaos

A diagonal run by the Brazilian ended with the first big chance for the Red and Whites. It came in the 63rd minute, oddly enough. The ball ended up at the feet of De Paul , who slipped it to Julián , who then played a pass into the heart of the six-yard box, forcing Guevara to clear, one of those shots that are more likely to end up in than out.

Alavés struck back as usual. Kike García took advantage of a nap by Le Normand and Molina , who had come on for Barrios , and found space behind them to stick his toe in and force Oblak into a superb low save. And the afternoon was full of comebacks because a minute later it was Sivera who thwarted a double chance for the red and whites with another intricately shaped save from a Lenglet shot.

The final minutes saw a bit more chaos, which Kike García almost took advantage of on one end and Correa on the other. The Vitorian finished well, but Oblak responded in kind, while the Argentinean fell asleep and allowed Tenaglia to get his shot. The spectators must have had a nap before this duel.