Elche 3‑2 Atlético Madrid – Nico's brace not enough as ten‑man Atleti fall

Four days after the Copa final — a rotation match

Extra time against Real Sociedad, then a penalty-shootout defeat. Just four days after the Copa del Rey final, Atlético Madrid travelled to Estadio Martínez Valero. With the Champions League semifinal against Arsenal looming the following week, Simeone made ten changes to his starting lineup. Robin Le Normand was the only holdover from the Copa final.

Julián Álvarez, Koke, Marcos Llorente and Matteo Ruggeri were left out of the squad as part of fatigue management ahead of the Champions League semifinal. Alexander Sørloth, Ademola Lookman, Dávid Hancko and José Giménez remained sidelined through injury. Jan Oblak returned to the starting XI for the first time in approximately six weeks, while Atlético Madrileño graduates Javier Boñar and Julio Díaz were handed spots in the back line. Obed Vargas started in left central midfield, and Rodrigo Mendoza was given the nod against his former club.

The result of this heavily rotated fixture: a 3-2 defeat. Four straight league losses. Six defeats in their last eight matches across 90 minutes — a run of results impossible to dismiss. Until the Copa final, the rotation strategy appeared to be working, preserving key players for the matches that mattered most. But with this many losses piling up, a nagging question emerges: is the very feeling of winning slipping away from this squad?

A brilliant opener, then a swift reply

Just two minutes in, Elche's Rafa Mir was presented with a big chance after Johnny Cardoso was caught flat-footed. Yet it was Atlético who struck first. In the 10th minute, Nico González collected the ball in his own half and drove forward on the right. He played a one-two with Rodrigo Mendoza, who delivered a deft backheel return. González struck with his left foot, and the shot slipped past Matías Dituro and into the net.

The lead lasted eight minutes. On 18 minutes, Elche won a corner; Tete Morente flicked a header on and David Affengruber poked home the second ball. Oblak reacted late. On the evidence of that moment alone, his return to match sharpness still had some way to go.

Almada's red card — the cost of losing possession in the box

The defining moment arrived on the half-hour mark. Thiago Almada was in possession inside his own penalty area when David Affengruber closed him down. Almada lost the ball, then grabbed and pulled back the Austrian defender as he moved toward goal.

Referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernández pointed to the spot and showed a straight red card — denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity, or DOGSO. Under IFAB's Laws of the Game, a DOGSO offence inside the penalty area can be downgraded to a caution if the defender genuinely attempts to play the ball. Almada's foul was a hold on the player, not a challenge for the ball. No mitigation applied.

Retaining possession under a high press inside the box, when executed well, can break the opposition's shape and spark a counter-attack. Yet it is also the one area on the pitch where losing the ball can trigger an irreversible chain of events. Almada lost it in precisely that zone, then compounded the error with a foul. A lapse in individual decision-making that must not be repeated.

André Silva calmly converted the resulting penalty on 33 minutes. Elche led 2-1.

González's second — a stunning goal straight from the restart

The scoreline changed again just one minute later. From the kick-off, González surged toward the right flank. He flicked the ball up with a header, lifted it over Dituro with a delicate touch, then ran onto the drop and headed it across the line. Affengruber attempted to clear on the goal line, but the ball had already crossed. After a VAR check, the goal stood. 2-2.

It was González's second brace in his last five La Liga appearances. Before that run, he had managed just one across 177 appearances in Europe's five major leagues. At least in this match, a right-flank role brought out the best of his individual qualities — a point worth considering when planning next season's setup.

The first half was not done yet. Sangaré and Febas were both booked for Elche in the 45+4th minute. Atlético had already picked up yellows through Lenglet in the 36th minute and Julio Díaz in the 38th — four cards in the opening 45 minutes. Six minutes of added time capped a chaotic half.

A ten-man second half — the story told by xG 2.67 vs 1.01

Simeone acted immediately at the break. Nahuel Molina replaced Le Normand and Marc Pubill came on for Julio Díaz, both moves aimed at shoring up the defence.

Early in the second half, Álex Baena put the ball in the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Atlético's ten men held Elche at bay for a spell after that.

On 62 minutes, Simeone made a triple substitution: Pablo Barrios for Vargas, Antoine Griezmann for Mendoza, and Giuliano Simeone for Baena.

Elche's pressure, though, was relentless. Possession finished at 72-28. Shots 14-6. Big chances 7-2. Corners 13-3. Touches inside the opposition box: 29-8. Atlético's defence registered 36 clearances over the course of more than 60 minutes with ten men, but the structural disadvantage was stark in every metric. Elche's xG read 2.67 to Atlético's 1.01.

The decisive goal came on 75 minutes. From the second phase of a corner, Affengruber's cutback found André Silva, who steered the ball home with his right foot. 3-2. It was the second set-piece goal Atlético had conceded in the match. For Silva, it was his first La Liga brace since September 2018 with Sevilla — delivered in the biggest game of Elche's season so far.

Atlético managed just one shot on target across the entire second half. Late on, Griezmann forced a good save from Dituro, and Barrios fired a long-range effort over the crossbar in the 88th minute, but an equaliser never looked likely.

The returning players and the young ones — where they stand

The returns of Oblak and Barrios carried significance beyond the result.

Oblak was making his first start in roughly six weeks. Three goals conceded, and a performance that suggested his usual composure has not yet fully returned — but match sharpness can only be regained by playing. With the goalkeeper debate against Musso still open, Saturday's match against Athletic Club becomes the next test.

On Barrios, Simeone spoke after the match: "Lo importante es que se sienta jugador de fútbol. Son muchos días, está volviendo, está mejor. De lo poco positivo del partido" ("The important thing is that he feels like a footballer again. It has been a long time. He is coming back, he is getting better. One of the few positives from the match"). Having played 21 minutes against Tottenham on 10 March before suffering another muscle setback, Barrios was introduced on 62 minutes and showed encouraging fitness — his long-range drive in the 88th minute hinted at sharpness returning. Whether he can be fully match-ready by the Champions League semifinal remains the key question.

Rodrigo Mendoza started against his former club and registered his first goal involvement since his February transfer, providing a slick backheel assist for González's opener. That single touch encapsulated his fluid technique. The author sees real potential in Mendoza. Still, losing all nine of his individual duels underlined how raw he remains. Simeone offered his own assessment: "Con mucho crecimiento por delante, ganas de progresar, personalidad, intensidad, calidad" ("Plenty of room for growth, a desire to improve. Personality, intensity, quality"). The challenge now is to deliver precise, consistent performances — to prove that he can hold up physically and mentally over the long haul.

Obed Vargas operated as the left-sided central midfielder, winning five of six ground duels and completing all eight first-half passes — a quiet, solid outing. Defensive intensity, composure on the ball: exactly the attributes Simeone values.

Boñar, promoted from Atlético Madrileño, made his second consecutive La Liga start. He struggled defensively against Germán Valera — a former Atlético academy graduate whose crossing and dribbling caused problems — though he showed willingness to play the ball forward. Julio Díaz, making his third La Liga start, endured a difficult evening compounded by insufficient cover from Lenglet.

For these young players, the most valuable thing is the experience of being on the pitch at the top level. In the second half of the 2022-23 season, a then-unknown Barrios used end-of-season minutes as a springboard to become a first-team regular the following campaign. Boñar and Díaz have already featured in multiple matches — their introductions have not been one-off cameos. The real test starts now: what can they show with every additional appearance? It may be difficult for them to expect minutes in Atlético's priority competition, the Champions League, but the remaining La Liga fixtures offer invaluable ground for their development.

The remaining matches, and what lies ahead

Fourth place, 57 points. Four behind third-placed Villarreal, eight ahead of fifth-placed Real Betis. Atlético hold the advantage in the race for a Champions League spot, though continued defeats at this rate could make Betis's pursuit a realistic threat. With the Champions League semifinal still to come, the team's focus has clearly shifted toward Arsenal.

Elche, for their part, reached 35 points with this victory and climbed out of the relegation zone. It was a win fuelled by the desperation of a club fighting for survival.

After the match, Simeone shouldered the responsibility. "Dimos todo para poder al menos llevarnos un punto, pero el equipo no pudo ganar y la responsabilidad es totalmente mía" ("We gave everything to at least take a point, but the team could not win, and the responsibility is entirely mine"). He added: "Hay que empezar de nuevo mañana. El sábado, volver a competir en Liga" ("We have to start fresh tomorrow. On Saturday, we compete in the league again").

Saturday's match against Athletic Club, then the first leg of the Champions League semifinal. The choice between Oblak and Musso, Barrios's fitness — there are decisions to be made. Even within this defeat, though, there were elements to take forward: González's scoring threat on the right, Vargas's reliability, Mendoza's flash of inspiration. Material for the season ahead, drawn from a difficult night in Elche.

Player ratings

Substitutes

ItC ratings from Into the Calderón. FotMob ratings from FotMob. Lenglet and Almada received a dash (—) from ItC, indicating they were not given a numerical rating.