Villarreal CF 1-2 Atlético de Madrid: Player Ratings

Oblak

Wasn’t challenged much in the first half, as Atlético Madrid defended pretty well and limited Villarreal danger around the box. Oblak ended up conceding to nemesis Alexander Sørloth in the 50th minute, as the Norwegian’s shot from the edge of the penalty area found its way through to level the scores. 4

Llorente

Would have liked to see the Spaniard take one-on-one chances, especially as he shifted into the midfield as the match went on. But Llorente put in another good 90-minute shift and linked up well with compatriot César Azpilicueta. 5

Witsel

Was able to escape Étienne Capoue on a corner in the ninth minute and used all his height (and hair) to redirect the ball into the back of the net. He scored in both meetings with Villarreal this season. 7

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Giménez

The Uruguayan returned to the lineup following injury and had no-nonsense game, being sure to clear the ball at any opportunity. He was a big reason why the hosts finished the game with only two shots on target. 6

Reinildo

Worked to close down Gerard Moreno in his efforts out wide, frequently waiting for reinforcements to help win the ball back. The defender made six tackles and three clearances, getting stronger as the game moved along. 7

Riquelme

Picked up an assist with his expert near-post delivery for Axel Witsel. This kind of game agreed with Riquelme — he was slippery, direct, and looked dangerous cutting in from the left, with multiple shots from distance landing just off the mark. Stefan Savić controversially replaced him at halftime. 5.5

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Koke

Initiated the occasional counterattack and instrumental in reorganizing the team after Sørloth equalized. Koke recovered the ball 11 times to restart play for Atlético — and in possession, he completed 74 of his 85 passes and finished with 11 passes into the final third. 5.5

Barrios

Not the most venomous attacking display from the 20-year-old midfielder, though he was dutiful defensively, finishing with six recoveries and two interceptions. It remains to be seen if LALIGA will rescind his 62nd-minute yellow card for what appeared to be a clean tackle on Yerson Mosquera. 4

Lino

Began the match in midfield. Created four chances and grew in influence after Rodrigo Riquelme exited the game. Produced some tasty build-up play with Memphis and Antoine Griezmann, should have done better with an early 1v1 opportunity but Filip Jörgensen denied him well with a kick stop. 5.5

Griezmann

Outrageous pass to create a chance for Samuel Lino inside seven minutes. The Frenchman had moments of fleeting quality – a good touch to control the ball, a quick switch of play, etc. Griezmann frequently opted to float into wider positions and connect with Marcos Llorente out wide or an overlapping Samuel Lino. 4.5

Memphis

Looked eager to score, attempting shots and getting involved in buildup early on. His actions appeared a bit rushed, and apart from forcing Jörgensen into a sharp save on 11 minutes, Memphis didn’t really challenge the goalkeeper. He set up Llorente for a good chance a few minutes later, though. 4

Savić

Was late to close down Sørloth on the equalizer and was sloppy in many of his attempted interventions. 3.5

Morata

Committed four fouls in less than half an hour, had two tame right-footed shots saved. One goal in 13 games across all competitions. 5

Correa

Came on for Griezmann in the 66th minute. Used his low center of gravity to his advantage, drawing a crowd every time he darted into the penalty area. 5

Azpilicueta

Picked up an assist as he played the final pass to complete the sequence for Saúl’s goal. 7

Saúl

Scored the game’s winning goal, his first this season, three minutes after replacing Barrios. Fifteen days after baring his soul on social media, Saúl lined up his shot just inside the penalty area passed it into the goal, with Jörgensen late to react. A real super-sub for Diego Simeone and the squad. 7

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