Atlético Madrid’s difficult March continued as they relinquished a lead to draw 1-1 with Espanyol in Barcelona. The result deals a significant blow to Diego Simeone’s side’s LaLiga title aspirations, marking their fourth consecutive draw against Espanyol.
Espanyol entered the game with a strong home record, unbeaten in their previous eight LaLiga matches at the RCDE Stadium. This contrasted with Atlético’s recent form, having lost their last two league games and been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League by Real Madrid.
The match began with early drama as Marcos Llorente’s third-minute goal for Atlético was disallowed for offside. The first half was largely uneventful, with Antoine Griezmann’s free-kick being blocked and Robin Le Normand forced off due to a head injury.
Atlético Madrid took the lead in the 35th minute. A well-executed play on the right flank led to Alexander Sorloth heading the ball back to César Azpilicueta, who scored with a powerful shot into the top-left corner.
At the start of the second half, Sorloth missed an opportunity to extend Atlético’s lead. Espanyol responded with a double substitution and created a chance for Alejo Veliz, but his shot was blocked.
Espanyol finally equalized in the 65th minute. Clement Lenglet was penalized for fouling Leandro Cabrera in the box, and Javi Puado converted the resulting penalty, despite Jan Oblak guessing the right way.
Atlético Madrid pushed for a late winner, with Griezmann having a chance thwarted by Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw. The result leaves Atlético Madrid trailing Barcelona, and with Barcelona favored to extend that lead, Atlético’s title hopes are slim. Espanyol’s relegation concerns remain, and they could drop further down the table by the end of the weekend.
