News
TUE 01.10.2024
After eight rounds, the LALIGA EA SPORTS title race is absolutely fascinating. FC Barcelona have finally suffered their first defeat of the season, however they remain top on 21 points, while Real Madrid follow in second place on 18 points and Atlético de Madrid are third on 16 points.
In just the past four days, Atlético de Madrid have scored two very late goals to add to their points tally. After Julián Alvarez scored a 90th minute goal in midweek to secure a 1-0 Atleti win away at RC Celta on Thursday, another Argentinian turned up in the dying minutes of the Madrid Derby, this time Ángel Correa with a 95th-minute equaliser to ensure Sunday’s duel between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid finished 1-1.
Correa also scored in the 92nd-minute of Atlético de Madrid’s Matchday 4 game away at Athletic Club, to earn Diego Simeone’s side a 1-0 win in that game. It’s clear that the Argentinian super sub knows where the back of the net is. Curiously, 26 of Correa’s 82 goals for Atlético de Madrid have arrived when he has come on as a substitute, compared to 56 goals as a starter. Calculating the rate per minute, he scores one goal ever 213 minutes as a substitute compared to one goal every 287 minutes as a starter.
In Sunday’s Madrid Derby, Correa was brought on in the 70th minute as one of Simeone’s last throws of the dice. He entered the fray when Real Madrid were already leading 1-0 following an Éder Militão goal at a freekick, but Atlético de Madrid didn’t give up and Correa equalised in the final moments as he latched on to a perfect ball from Javi Galán and managed to finish past Thibaut Courtois.
Not only did this goal mean the derby finished 1-1, meaning both the capital city teams remain undefeated so far this season, but Correa’s strike could have huge implications in the title race. FC Barcelona had won their first seven games of the season but then lost 4-2 at CA Osasuna on Saturday, so the title race has been totally shaken up. Barça still lead, but now they’re just three points ahead of Real Madrid and five ahead of Atlético de Madrid, following this weekend’s 1-1 draw.
Although Atleti currently sit in third, it’s clear that they are in this year’s title race and that they won’t give up until the final moment. Under Diego Simeone, a culture of battling until the final minute has been installed, as is made clear by the fact that five of their points so far have been accumulated from goals scored after the 89th minute.
Furthermore, Atlético de Madrid boast the best record for the final 15 minutes of matches. Across the whole 2024/25 LALIGA EA SPORTS season, Atlético de Madrid have scored five and conceded none in the final 15 minutes of matches. That’s the best record in the competition by far, as no other team has a goal difference in the final 15 minutes of more than plus two.
It’ll be fascinating to see how far Atlético de Madrid can go in this season’s title race, but one thing’s for sure and that’s the fact that Simeone’s side will never give up.
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