Atletico achieved a victory of great importance at Villarreal. The sixth place was in danger after the victory of Recreativo against Celta and to add the three points was essential for the red and white team to stay in Europe. In this setting, Javier Aguirre’s team knew how to work, to suffer and to achieve the three goal points from El Madrigal thanks to a lonely goal by Fabiano Eller.

After four consecutives defeats away it was time to be up at Villarreal to keep the European rhythm. Javier Aguirre’s players took long to have the control of the match against a team very offensive and ready not to leave a single point of his stadium. In spite of everyting, the first occasions were for the visitants in actions by Eller. The yellow answer came in dangerous approaches of Josico and Fuentes.

Once over the initial phase the match settled on a more elaborate game in which Atletico started touching more comfortable. The work up there was on charge of Fernando Torres and Agüero that more than once looked for a goal with their movements. The captain had the opportunity to open the scoreboard at 24’ after changing a reject in the area on a strong shot that tripped with the defence.

The scare was getting wide and the feeling of danger was dressing the red and white colours. Number ‘9’ kept warning with an action at the area that took him into the lime, but the right shot was sent to corner by Viera. Torres was making pressure, but would be Fabiano Eller few minutes after making a header which ended at the bottom of the net. A deserved reward for a serious Atletico, which defended with solvency the rival action until the break, the clearest was a shot by Fuentes that left diverted few centimetres.

The more essential things of the first half were kept at the first minutes of the second half. Atletico was still threatening with shots by Jurado and Fernando Torres, the captain’s one was after a sensational play in the area, but the defense resisted. It was the turn for the carrousel of changes and Aguirre opted to reinforce the retaining line giving entrance to Costinha instead of Agüero. The three points were good enough to risk them and the red and white team opted to close lines against Villarreal that was growing for moments.

The match came to a returning phase in which the yellow team were pushing and the red and white team were looking for the fast break. So the locals were crushing again and again against Aguirre’s wall, reinforce with the entrance of Pernia, while the option to wide differences for Atleti depended exclusively on a lonely action in which Torres or Mista would be able to surprise the rival defense.

That action came five minutes for the end of the match. Gabi stood out against Viera and a fall at the area was punished for the referee with penalty sending off Pires. At the shot, the yellow goalkeeper guess Fernando Torres’ intention and with a great movement prevent the shot very close to the right post to finish at the bottom of the net. That was all at the last minutes, so Atletico of Madrid obtained the three points after the referee pointed out the end of the match. The victory, of great importance to the European aspiration for Manzanares Team, allows them to keep the sixth place of the classification.


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