Atlético de Madrid and Barça once again starred in an epic match at Montjuïc that ended in a draw thanks to Alexander Sorloth's goal. The Norwegian player has become a specialist in spoiling nights for the blaugrana team, something he had already done with Real Sociedad and Villarreal. Yesterday, he was decisive again coming off the bench, taking advantage of a defensive error to score the fourth goal for the colchoneros with ease.
The reality is that the team led by Hansi Flick was far superior, except for the first five minutes when they conceded two goals. Simeone encountered the same problems as in the last match they played in December, facing obstacles in defense. What is clear is that the striker is clearly demanding more opportunities and to be more prominent in upcoming commitments.
Alexander Sorloth Is the Hero Again
It seemed like the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals was going to start with a closely contested match between two of the best teams in Europe. Atlético de Madrid returned to Montjuïc with the goal of achieving a positive result to face the second leg at the beginning of April. The match was a real roller coaster, with the rojiblancos quickly scoring two goals and seeing Barça come back before halftime.
Lewandowski would increase the lead for the locals, who seemed to have everything under control after being far superior throughout the match. However, it was Alexander Sorloth again who spoiled the night for Hansi Flick and his players with a new goal in injury time. Before that, Marcos Llorente took advantage of a great assist from Ángel Correa to close the gap and keep the tie alive.
Simeone Has an Enviable Bench
One of the most positive aspects of this season is that the Argentine coach is capable of turning any match around thanks to the five substitutions. In this regard, Alexander Sorloth could be the best example, as he has scored seven goals coming on in the second halves, the latest being yesterday. The Norwegian has already scored 13 goals across all competitions, an important figure considering his role.
In fact, this is something the forward wants to change soon, as his great performances could lead him to enjoy more starts in a very demanding schedule. Atlético de Madrid still has a Champions League tie against Real Madrid and two more matches against FC Barcelona in the coming weeks. The goal is to stay alive in all competitions, and Simeone knows that the only way will be to keep all his footballers engaged to maintain the momentum.