Atlético de Madrid Starts La Liga with Defeat against Espanyol
Atlético de Madrid, coached by Diego Simeone, suffered a painful 2-1 defeat against Espanyol in their first La Liga match. Despite an impressive free-kick goal by Julián Álvarez, the team couldn’t hold the lead and fell to an opponent that knew how to take advantage of the opportunities. The match, played at the RCDE Stadium, saw Atlético take the lead in the 37th minute thanks to Álvarez’s great goal. However, late goals from Miguel Rubio and Pere Milla gave the victory to Espanyol, who had the support of former NFL player J.J. Watt as a new shareholder. Simeone lined up five of Atlético’s new signings from the start, including American midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who was substituted at halftime.Atlético has made a significant investment this summer, incorporating seven new players with the aim of competing with Barcelona and Real Madrid, after a season without titles.“They took advantage of the situations they had. The set piece (for Rubio’s goal) got them into the game. We had the game well controlled. And then, with the second goal, that hurt us,” Simeone stated.
Diego Simeone
“It’s part of the journey. This result hurts us, but it can also make us improve and grow. I will focus on the good things the team did and we will try to reduce the deficiencies we saw,” added Simeone.
Diego Simeone
Former NFL player J.J. Watt is involved with Velocity Sports Limited, the owners of Burnley Football Club, who acquired Espanyol this summer. Watt shared a video on social media, interacting with Espanyol fans before the match.“Football is about being effective in both areas, and we weren’t. We know what this level demands. We will have to be effective if we want to achieve something in this league,” commented Koke.
Koke
