A late equalizer from substitute Alexander Sorloth in the 81st minute helped 10-man Atletico Madrid secure a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo in LaLiga.
A Catastrophic Start for Atletico
The match began disastrously for Atletico Madrid when midfielder Pablo Barrios was shown a straight red card just four minutes in for a reckless studs-up challenge on Pablo Duran. This left Diego Simeone’s side playing almost the entire game with one man down.
Penalty Gives Celta the Lead
The hosts were further disadvantaged when Robin Le Normand conceded a penalty inside the box after fouling Borja Iglesias. Iago Aspas stepped up and confidently converted the spot-kick in the 68th minute, giving Celta Vigo the lead.
Sorloth Saves the Day
Despite being down to 10 men, Atletico refused to give up. In the 81st minute, Alexander Sorloth came off the bench to finish off a swift counter-attack, scoring an important equalizer that salvaged a valuable point for the home side.
Standings and Results
Atletico Madrid remain in second place with 49 points after 24 games, trailing leaders Real Madrid by one point following their 1-1 draw with Osasuna earlier in the day. Barcelona sits in third place with 48 points and can move to the top of the table if they defeat Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
Meanwhile, Celta Vigo are comfortably in 12th position with 29 points, maintaining their mid-table status far from relegation concerns.
Key Takeaways:
- Atletico’s Recent Struggles: After an impressive run of eight consecutive wins in LaLiga between November and January, Atletico have dropped points in four of their last five league matches (one win, three draws, one loss).
- Celta’s Near Victory: Celta Vigo were nine minutes away from securing their first away win against Atletico since 2007 but remain without a victory in their last 13 visits to the Madrid outfit.
- Iago Aspas’ Milestone: The veteran forward scored only his third goal in 21 LaLiga appearances against Atletico and netted his first-ever goal at Atletico during his career, converting the penalty successfully.
Although Atletico managed to earn a point, their recent form raises concerns about their ability to challenge for the title this season, especially with strong competition from rivals like Real Madrid and Barcelona.
