A cyclone on the fast track

Koke at five minutes taking advantage of one of the most iconic plays from the origins of Cholismo: long ball to the head of Raúl García paired with Jordi Alba to win the aerial duel and leave Adrián alone against Pinto who was running behind him. The goal at the south end of the Calderón would shake with his cannon shot, but from the other side the now midfielder and captain had already reached the edge of the area to collect the rebound at the edge of the area, play it with Villa and remain attentive to the fact that Adrián’s header after Guaje’s center became an assist at the far post. That’s why he would be faster than anyone to push her with his left foot and celebrate his first goal in the Champions League, precisely against the same opponent against whom he had debuted for Atlético almost five years earlier.

Griezmann in the 37th minute, in the same goal, on the way to the Ballon d’Or podium where Cristiano and Messi would precede him at the end of that 2016 and with his intelligence to position himself undetectably between Dani Alves and Piqué and wait for the center with Saúl’s outside to head it in an unappealable way, making Ter Stegen’s stretch sterile. A goal that, although it would continue on the horn from the penalty spot, was already enough to achieve a place in the semi-finals due to the double value of the goals.

So, on the fast track, Koke’s would arrive and it was enough to knock Barcelona of Messi, Neymar, Iniesta, Xavi, Cesc and company out of the Champions League quarterfinals on April 9, 2014 after the 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou. Also before the break, on April 13, 2016, Antoine began to bid farewell to the team that, with the addition of Luis Suárez, had led Luis Enrique to the historic treble of 2015 from the top continental competition. The same cyclone mode, with the stands in maximum boiling, to begin to forge Simeone’s status as a specialist in the playoffs.

A sign of identity

Ten years later, Koke and Griezmann are still as valid as Cholo’s formula. Accompanied by other performers and even with the evolved style, but with the same essence. That’s why Atlético also beat Barcelona in the blink of an eye in the Cup semi-finals, with whom they flick He had also signed a treble (in his case with the Super Cup instead of the Champions League) a year earlier.

It is true that he would still have to do well at the Camp Nou, but the four goals in 45 minutes at the Metropolitan once again demonstrated Atlético’s overwhelming way to resolve the two-legged duels. With Griezmann’s 2-0 in the 14th minute included, with Koke directing the orchestra. With Simeone celebrating how his plan was being executed.