Three Points Won the Hard Way: Musso, Sørloth and Clues for Next Season

Eight absent, zero complacency

May 12, 2026, Estadio El Sadar. La Liga Matchday 36, Osasuna versus Atlético Madrid. Barcelona had already wrapped up the league title, and Atlético had secured their Champions League place for next season. The major objectives were settled, yet a battle for third place and the chance to build towards next season remained. After a Champions League semi-final exit to Arsenal and a 0-1 home defeat to Celta Vigo on Matchday 35, this away fixture was a test of the squad's collective attitude.

The circumstances were far from comfortable. Julián Álvarez, Pablo Barrios, José Giménez, Nahuel Molina, Giuliano Simeone, Johnny Cardoso and Nico González were all sidelined through injury, while Álex Baena was suspended. Eight first-team players unavailable. Even so, Diego Simeone sent out a side featuring Griezmann, Lookman, Koke and Pubill. There was no sign of winding down.

In his pre-match press conference, Simeone praised Barcelona as, according to reports, "the best-playing team in the world," before adding: "and we knocked them out twice." In the Copa del Rey semi-finals, Atlético won the first leg 4-0 and lost the second 0-3, advancing 4-3 on aggregate. In the Champions League quarter-finals, they won 2-0 away and lost 1-2 at home, progressing 3-2 overall. No silverware followed, but the season had shown Atlético could compete with the very best. The remaining fixtures were not mere formalities; they were an opportunity to lay foundations for next season.

Juan Musso started in goal instead of Jan Oblak. No official explanation was given for the decision. Musso had been the regular choice in the Copa del Rey, but his selection in a league match at this stage of the season adds another element to the goalkeeping discussion heading into next year.

A VAR penalty and Lookman's composed finish

Just past the ten-minute mark, Javi Galán was adjudged to have handled following a piece of play involving Antoine Griezmann. Galán moved from Atlético to Osasuna in December 2025, and the handball against his former club proved costly. Referee Guzmán Mansilla initially waved play on, but VAR intervened and a penalty was awarded.

Ademola Lookman took responsibility. Rather than Griezmann, it was Lookman who placed the ball on the spot and calmly rolled it into the bottom-left corner. In the 15th minute, Atlético had the lead.

From that point on, however, Osasuna seized control of the rhythm. Per FotMob, the hosts fired 23 shots to Atlético's five, put five on target to four, and generated an xG of 2.30 against 1.56. Atlético were ruthlessly efficient in taking their chances, but Osasuna could easily have come away with something from this match.

Budimir's chances and Musso's saves

Atlético's defending in the first half was a high-wire act. On 18 minutes Rodrigo Mendoza was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle problem, and Robin Le Normand came on in his place, adding another name to an already lengthy injury list. Le Normand slotted in at centre-back while Pubill shifted to right-back, but the defensive balance was shaky for much of the half.

Ante Budimir posed the greatest threat. Koke gifted him a clear one-on-one chance with a careless back pass, only for Budimir to fire over the bar. Then, just before the break, Musso collided with Budimir while attempting to punch a cross clear, and the referee initially pointed to the spot and showed a yellow card. VAR overturned both decisions after replays confirmed Musso had made contact with the ball first.

Musso's contributions extended well beyond that incident. In the 65th minute he produced a sharp reaction save to deny an unmarked Budimir, and around the 85th minute he dealt comfortably with Alejandro Catena's effort. He was the linchpin of Atlético's defence on the night.

Sørloth's 71st-minute header, Llorente's red card, and 11 minutes of survival

At half-time Simeone replaced Thiago Almada with Alexander Sørloth and switched to a 5-4-1 shape, deploying Lookman, Griezmann and Koke behind the Norwegian striker as a focal point.

The setup produced the second goal on 71 minutes. Marcos Llorente chased down a pass from Pubill and delivered a cross that Sørloth, unmarked at the far post, headed home. It was his 13th league goal of the campaign and his 20th across all competitions, reaching that mark for a second consecutive season and underlining his importance to this Atlético side.

Comfort, though, was nowhere to be found. On 79 minutes Llorente received a second yellow card for a foul on Aimar Oroz and was sent off, leaving Atlético to see out the final 11 minutes with ten men. Simeone withdrew Lookman for Clément Lenglet on 82 minutes to shore up the defence, but Lenglet was caught out of position for Kike Barja's consolation goal in the 91st minute. Deep into stoppage time, Lenglet was also involved in a contentious grapple with Budimir inside the box that Osasuna felt warranted a VAR review. It never came. Atlético held on for a 2-1 victory that felt considerably harder than the scoreline suggests.

Looking ahead: building blocks for next season

What follows is a personal assessment of what this match revealed about the squad's make-up heading into next season.

Obed Vargas continues to impress. The 20-year-old Mexico international, signed from Seattle Sounders in February, carries the ball forward with purpose and transitions instantly when possession is lost. He won eight of ten ground duels and completed three dribbles in this match, offering evidence that he can supply the midfield intensity Atlético need. He should remain part of the first-team squad next season.

Mendoza has shown potential since his winter arrival, but the latest injury setback underscores a lack of consistency. Depending on how the summer recruitment unfolds, a loan to guarantee regular minutes could be a sensible option.

Almada was substituted at half-time and did nothing to improve his standing. Into the Calderón rated him at just 2 out of 10. If a reasonable offer materialises, exploring a sale would be worth considering.

Sørloth's case is more nuanced. Twenty goals across all competitions for a second straight season is a strong argument for keeping him. At the same time, if Atlético intend to build an attack less dependent on Griezmann, investing in a more clinical out-and-out striker merits discussion. A player of Victor Osimhen's profile would represent one example of that ideal.

Finally, Musso. This assessment is not based on one game alone but on an impression built across the entire season. He deserves to be a genuine contender for the starting spot next year. Oblak's track record is beyond question, yet Musso once again demonstrated his shot-stopping reflexes and decision-making against Budimir's repeated threats. He is too good to be treated simply as a back-up.

Three points behind Villarreal with two matches left

The win lifted Atlético to 66 points, holding fourth place on a provisional basis. Villarreal sit three points clear in third, but they have played only 35 matches to Atlético's 36, meaning the race for third is not in Atlético's own hands. The remaining two fixtures are Girona at home on May 17 (Matchday 37) and Villarreal away on May 24 (Matchday 38). A direct showdown on the final day awaits, but if Villarreal pick up points from their game in hand, Atlético's path to third narrows further.

Still, three wins in their last four league matches represents a positive run. Atlético's away record for the season now stands at six wins, five draws and seven defeats with a goal difference of zero, a stark contrast to their formidable home form of 14 wins, one draw and three losses. This was not a victory built on dominance. Even so, claiming three points at a difficult ground like El Sadar is no small thing, and it is the kind of result that should carry forward into next season.

A Champions League semi-final exit, a Copa del Rey final lost on penalties, and a title race that slipped away. Even in a season that will end without a trophy, how these final two matches are used matters. Building next season's foundations demands continued commitment, and the remaining games against Girona and Villarreal will test whether that is forthcoming. The competitive mentality Simeone has espoused all season long should endure through the final whistle.

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Substitutes

※ItC ratings via Into the Calderón; FotMob ratings via FotMob.