A point in Stuttgart that leaves you wondering what might have been without Hjulmand's red card

A point held onto with ten men

Atlético's third game of the Champions League league phase, away to Stuttgart, finished 1-1. Leweling put Stuttgart ahead on 36 and Julián Álvarez equalised on 47. On 64 Morten Hjulmand was shown a straight red card, and Atlético played the last 30 minutes or so with ten men. Stuttgart had 18 shots to ten and an xG of 1.50 to 0.87 (FotMob), so they had the better of the game.

It could have gone either way, but I think the sending-off ended any chance of winning it. Simeone said after the game that in the second half, "until the sending-off, the game was under control and going the way we wanted." Even so, the ten men did well to bring a point home.

A first half spent under the press

From the start, Atlético could not play the ball out cleanly against Stuttgart's pressing. In the first minute Llorente lost the ball in his own half and Oblak saved from El Khannouss. He then kept out Vagnoman's shot from the corner that followed. They were two inspired saves. My impression this season is that Oblak's shot-stopping is in particularly good form.

Last season Pubill was rated as a player who was reliable in the build-up as well. On the evidence of this game, though, he may struggle against a high press. In the first half his passes were cut out, he was rushed a lot of the time, and he kept losing the ball in his own half. The goal on 36 also came from a ball Pubill gave away. Stiller picked it up and fed Leweling, who scored from outside the box.

The gap to Romero on the ball

Before the game I had hoped that, with Romero injured, Pubill would be paired with Hancko in his place. But Romero and Pubill differ in the quality of their distribution. In La Liga this season Romero's long-ball accuracy is 76% and Pubill's is 59%. I also wonder whether Romero would have calmly found a way through that press.

A long-awaited goal for Julián

At half-time David was replaced by Lookman, and Baena moved into the middle. Just after the restart, on 47, Lookman put in a low cross from the left and Julián hit it first time with his left foot into the top right-hand corner. It was his first goal of the season for Atlético.

I had been hoping that around now he would become the man who makes the difference. He did not do enough to be called that here, but I think it was good just to see how he and those around him reacted after the goal. Simeone said: "He scored a great goal, and I'm very happy for him. We need him to get to the places we want to get to." Grimaldo said: "He is our best player, he needed this goal, and I hope it is the first of many he scores this year."

The red card ended any chance of winning

After the equaliser, it was Atlético who were pushing Stuttgart back. Then, on 64, Hjulmand caught Stiller with a tackle from behind and stood on his ankle, and was shown a straight red card that even Simeone accepted was "fair".

Before he signed, Hjulmand already had a reputation for picking up a lot of bookings. Last season at Sporting he had been shown 16 yellow cards in 43 games in all competitions by late April, the most of any player at Portugal's main clubs. Cholismo Lab's column when he joined also listed his bookings as a concern. I had heard about the bookings, but after this sending-off the roughness in his game bothers me too.

Thirty minutes with ten men

After the red card, Cardoso, Le Normand and Vargas were brought on to reshape the midfield and the back line, and Sørloth was introduced on 87. Giuliano used his body well to draw fouls from the opposition's borderline challenges. He won four fouls, the most of anyone on either side, and two of them came after Atlético went down to ten. On 89 Oblak saved from Prömel.

On 84 Hancko had his foot stood on by Assignon at a corner, but no penalty was given and there was no VAR on-field review. The former referees Iturralde González and Mateu Lahoz both believe it was a penalty. Simeone said he had not seen the incident, and added: "They can't give a penalty now. We'll be left with the feeling that it was a penalty and they didn't give it. It doesn't change anything."

Four wins from five to reach 16 points

In the Champions League Atlético have four points from three games and were 15th once the games on 20 October had finished. In the last two seasons' league phases, 16 points was enough for a top-eight finish. To get to 16, Atlético need four wins from their remaining five games.

The remaining opponents are Bayern Munich, Viking and Fenerbahçe at home, and PSV and Bodø/Glimt away. The next Champions League game is at home to Bayern on 3 November.

Ratings

Starters

Substitutes

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