Atletico Madrid responded in style to their midweek Champions League drubbing by Arsenal, defeating Real Betis 2–0 on Monday night to climb to fourth place in La Liga.
Diego Simeone’s men were determined to shake off the memories of their 4–0 defeat in north London, and they did just that with a composed performance at the Estadio de La Cartuja Betis’ temporary home ground.
A Night of Redemption for Los Rojiblancos
The visitors recorded only their second clean sheet in their last nine games across all competitions and secured their first away win of the season a much-needed confidence boost for the Madrid outfit.
Giuliano Simeone, the coach’s son, opened the scoring early on, marking a special night for the Simeone family. Villarreal loanee Alex Baena added a second before halftime to seal a comfortable lead.
“This is an important win, hard-fought, and I’m happy,” said goalkeeper Jan Oblak after the game. “I hope we continue like this away from home, not just at home. It was a great game from the whole team and a big effort.”
Betis Push Late, but Atletico Hold Firm
Real Betis came out stronger in the second half and nearly halved the deficit when Abde Ezzalzouli struck the crossbar with a curling free-kick. Despite the late pressure, Atletico’s defence stood tall to preserve the clean sheet.
Atletico now trail league leaders Real Madrid by eight points though they remain the only side to have beaten their city rivals this season.
A Family Affair for the Simeones
Giuliano Simeone celebrated his goal by making the letter “F” with his fingers a tribute to his newborn nephew, Faustino, who recently made Diego Simeone a grandfather.
“Our first win on the road and we’re very happy for the great work the team did,” Giuliano said after the match.
“Nothing changes for me,” joked Diego Simeone with a smile, while congratulating his son on the performance.
Betis Left to Rue Missed Chances
For Manuel Pellegrini’s side, who currently sit sixth, it was a frustrating evening. “Today we were lacking in the final third,” admitted Giovani Lo Celso. “We had to be a little sharper in front of goal. The team worked hard and tried until the end — for the fans who filled the stadium on a rainy Monday.”
