Atlético de Madrid were unable to overcome Espanyol, who were the bottom team in La Liga until yesterday, at home. The red-and-whites, after a spectacular first 30 minutes of attacking football, were unable to break through the opposition's goal. Diego Pablo Simeone gave players like Antoine Griezmann, Pablo Barrios and Marcos Llorente a rest, but the move did not work out for him.
Llorente had been chosen as the MVP of the two games that Atlético de Madrid had played this season. His start to the year had been spectacular as a right extrem, scoring two goals and providing an assist. This had meant that Nahuel Molina had been relegated to the bench, not having any opportunities.
However, against Espanyol, the Argentine had his chance to show that he also wants to get minutes. In a first half in which the team dominated and attacked, the best version of Nahuel Molina was expected, but it was not to be.
Sentenced at half-time
After an excellent first half hour, the hydration break did not sit well with Simeone's boys. The last minutes of the first half were rather disorganised and the Argentine coach had to take matters into his own hands at half-time. Of the players on the pitch, Nahuel Molina was the only one who did not have a good time, even when the team was at its best.
In the 45 minutes he played, he did not complete a single dribble, did not complete a single cross into the area and lost 13 possessions. In addition, he had a poor passing percentage of 67% and only made three defensive actions. A performance that left a large part of the red-and-white fans very angry, as they see that Molina is not capable of performing at his level.
Simeone is clear about it
Despite the large number of opportunities Simeone has given to Nahuel Molina, the Argentine full-back is still on the right track. He has lost his starting position at Atlético de Madrid and the Argentine national team, as he is not performing at the required level. Cholo has shown that his trusted wing-back at the moment is Marcos Llorente, as he is the starter at the start of the League.
The absence of the Spaniard on the right flank was very noticeable yesterday, in fact, when he came on the pitch, the team created danger on his flank. Substituting a player at half-time for purely sporting reasons is a huge way of pointing the finger at someone. This seems to be an ultimatum from Simeone to Molina, who will have to change a lot to be able to enjoy minutes.