For 83 minutes at Anoeta, this looked like the kind of 0-0 that neither side would remember fondly. Then Atletico Madrid found another gear entirely. Alejandro Grimaldo’s penalty in the 84th minute broke the deadlock, and goals from David and Simeone in stoppage time turned a tight La Liga road trip into a convincing 3-0 win for Diego Simeone’s side. Without Julien Alvarez, who was ruled out with a new injury according to sportscapemagazine.com, Atletico still had enough quality off the bench to punish a Real Sociedad side that ran out of ideas when it mattered most.
Key Moments
- 18′, Herrera picked up a yellow card for a foul, giving an early indication of the physical edge Real Sociedad would need to keep Atletico at bay.
- 59′, Atletico’s first substitution: Alejandro Baena came off for Cardoso, beginning a triple change that reshaped the visitors’ midfield energy.
- 60′, Marcos Llorente and Lee Kang-In both made way simultaneously, with Jonathan David and Koke entering the pitch. David’s introduction would prove decisive.
- 84′, Grimaldo stepped up and converted a penalty to give Atletico the lead, breaking a deadlock that had held for the entire match.
- 90′, David latched on to a Grimaldo pass to make it 2-0 deep into stoppage time, then Simeone added a third moments later from a Hancko assist to seal a flattering scoreline.
Tactical Breakdown
Real Sociedad dominated the ball for long stretches, finishing with 54% possession and 524 total passes to Atletico’s 465. But the numbers that mattered told a different story: the visitors put 9 shots inside the box to Sociedad’s 2, and registered 5 shots on goal against the hosts’ 3. Diego Simeone’s 3-4-2-1 shape absorbed the home side’s patient build-up and consistently threatened on the counter, with Romero and Marc Pubill commanding the defensive line while Grimaldo pushed forward relentlessly from left wing-back.
The match turned on Atletico’s triple substitution around the hour mark. Bringing Jonathan David on for Marcos Llorente gave the attack a proper focal point, and while the Canadian had to wait until the 90th minute to score, his presence stretched Real Sociedad’s backline in the final quarter. Koke’s introduction for Lee Kang-In steadied Atletico’s midfield structure and helped them control the tempo during the long scoreless second half before the late flurry.
Real Sociedad’s downfall was a near-complete absence of quality in the final third. Eight shots in total, with only 2 inside the box, tells the story of a side that circulated the ball without ever really threatening Jan Oblak. Manager Pellegrino Matarazzo was booked in the 72nd minute, and his side’s substitutions failed to change the pattern. With 9 corner kicks and 13 fouls, Sociedad were busy but ultimately toothless against a well-organized Atletico back line.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
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Verdict
Atletico Madrid sit fourth in La Liga with 10 points from five games, level on points with third-placed Alaves but separated by goal difference, and in good shape for a Champions League campaign that runs alongside their domestic duties. For Real Sociedad, now 12th with 7 points from six matches, this defeat is a sobering reminder of how quickly a goalless game can turn. They were competitive for most of the night but lacked the edge to convert 9 corners and 13 fouls into a goal that might have changed the story.