Atlético de Madrid and Barcelona starred in a thrilling match in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals, with an exciting 4-4 draw that left the tie open. But beyond the goals and excitement, the match left a clear winner on the benches: Simeone.
Manolo Lama was that emphatic in a brief preview of his analysis. He didn't hesitate to praise the work of the red-and-white coach and his ability to change the course of the match with substitutions.
Manolo Lama and His Great Praise for Simeone: "He Earned It in the End"
During the analysis on El Partidazo de COPE, Juanma Castaño asked his colleagues who had been the main protagonists of the match. Manolo Lama didn't look at the field, but at the bench. "I honestly believe that Cholo Simeone won the match against Flick in the end."
For the journalist, the key was how Simeone knew how to react in time and take advantage of Barça's wear in the second half. Meanwhile, the changes made by the colchonero coach brought energy and freshness to the team, Flick's adjustments ended up harming the blaugrana team. "I think Cholo's changes gave Atleti the draw," Lama explained, adding that Flick's, on the other hand, facilitated the red-and-white comeback.
Simeone, Key in Atlético de Madrid's Comeback
Atlético de Madrid, which was losing 4-2 in the 80th minute, managed to equalize the match thanks to goals from Marcos Llorente and Alexander Sorloth in the final minutes. But beyond the goal scorers, Simeone played an essential role with his tactical decisions.
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The Argentine coach intelligently moved the bench, bringing in players like Correa, Sorloth, and Lino, who were decisive in the final stages. Meanwhile, Flick made decisions that, according to Lama, harmed Barça.
"When you put Eric García and De Jong in the double pivot, you're already sending the message that it's enough for you. And when you push Fermín to a wing, you're telling Nahuel he can move up." The result was a much more offensive Atlético de Madrid and a Barcelona that lost solidity, which facilitated the draw.