Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid have reclaimed winning form in La Liga, defeating Valencia 2-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano. Antoine Griezmann emerged as the decisive figure, securing the victory with a perfectly-timed strike that kept Atletico firmly in the title race.
The opening moments suggested a tense encounter, with Hugo Duro’s shot crashing against the crossbar and leaving the home fans on edge. Gradually, Atletico found their composure, and Koke capitalised on a goalkeeper error at the 17th minute, scoring a precise low shot to give the hosts the lead.
Valencia had a potential equaliser in the 34th minute, but VAR intervened to rule the goal offside. After the break, Valencia increased the tempo, pushing for a response. Lucas Beltrán’s superb strike in the 63rd minute drew the visitors level, putting Atletico under mounting pressure.
Griezmann’s experience proved invaluable. In the 74th minute, following a long pass from Marc Pubill, he delivered a clinical finish to secure the match-winning goal. Atletico then managed the remainder of the game with intelligence and composure, ensuring all three points stayed at home.
With this result, Atletico are third in La Liga on 34 points from 17 games, signalling a return to form after a brief dip. Valencia, by contrast, are 17th with just 15 points, highlighting their struggles this season.