Goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and G. Simeone handed Atletico Madrid a controlled 2-0 win at Levante on Saturday, pushing Diego Simeone’s side to the summit of La Liga, according to intothecalderon.com. The result was more comfortable than the xG numbers suggest, with Oblak making four saves to keep the sheet clean despite Levante generating 1.33 expected goals. Atletico had a goal ruled out by VAR early on but never looked in serious trouble once Grimaldo broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark.
Key Moments
- 17′, Hjulmand’s goal for Atletico is disallowed by VAR, keeping the scoreline level.
- 18′, Luís Manuel Ferreira de Castro picks up a yellow card for dissent in the immediate aftermath of the VAR decision.
- 36′, Alejandro Grimaldo opens the scoring for Atletico Madrid, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead at the break.
- 62′, G. Simeone doubles the advantage, converting a chance assisted by Álex Baena to make it 2-0 and effectively end the contest.
- 67′, Atletico make a double change: Lee Kang-In comes off for David, and Álvarez is replaced by Sørloth.
- 76′, Álex Baena is withdrawn for Lookman, with Robin Le Normand also entering for Pablo Barrios as Atletico manage the game down.
Tactical Breakdown
Diego Simeone set his side up in a 4-4-2, and Atletico controlled the ball for most of the afternoon, finishing with 54% possession and 563 total passes to Levante’s 449. Their efficiency was what stood out: only 11 shots, five on target, two goals. Álex Baena operated as the midfield link between the lines, picking up an assist for the second goal before being subbed off at 76 minutes. Grimaldo, nominally a defender, provided the opening goal and was one of the more active players on the pitch throughout.
The VAR disallowance of Hjulmand’s goal at 17 minutes could have unsettled Atletico, but the team responded by staying patient and getting their opener through Grimaldo at 36. The second goal, just past the hour mark, came from a Álex Baena delivery converted by G. Simeone, and that was the moment Simeone turned to his bench for the first time, bringing on fresh attacking legs in David and Sørloth. There was no urgency in the changes; it was game management as much as anything else.
Levante had their moments, particularly in the shot volume department: 20 total shots, 14 from inside the box. But they converted none of them, and Ryan managed only three saves. The home side’s xG of 1.33 tells a story of chances squandered rather than a team without ideas. Luís Castro’s 4-2-3-1 created some pressure but lacked a clinical edge when it mattered, and the four-substitute change at 71 minutes was more a sign of frustration than tactical intent.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
The win takes Atletico Madrid to 28 points, one ahead of Barcelona (27) and four clear of Real Madrid (24) at the top of La Liga after 11 rounds. Levante, meanwhile, sit 16th on 10 points, a precarious position with the table tightly packed. For Simeone’s side, five straight wins point to a team that has found both organization and a clinical edge early in the season.
Atletico Madrid
Levante
G. Simeone