Neither Atlético, still with a half-baked eleven, nor Getafe, full of kids and with just Soria, Djené and Davinchi making it recognizable, will be what was seen in the red-and-white summer premiere. However, when there is obvious evidence, the first impression is enough: Simeone has the goal assured with Lookman and Arnau Ortiz, Bordalás can be calm about the manner and intensity of his team.
Five minutes were enough for the Nigerian to make it clear that he returns with the same impact he had since he arrived in January, scoring nine goals (and four assists) in 24 appearances. Starting from the left wing, he had no problems reaching the area first to push the ball spit out of the post after a shot from Mendoza. He would also be ‘invisible’ at the far post to score a good cross from Carlos Martín from the opposite flank. A double in just 35 minutes to confirm that the big winter signing is still valid in summer.
With a new eleven in the second half, it would be Arnau Ortiz who would take center stage to show that if the four preseason games are presented as a ‘casting’ to make a decision about his future, he is willing to earn a place in the squad. Barely ten minutes were enough for him to show off his verticality and his scoring instinct. In addition to his class, after surprising a race in the area, he would resolve with a 9-car dribble before scoring his goal.
It was the goal that once again certified Atlético’s superiority even though Getafe managed to close the gap just before half-time. It was Álvaro Gutiérrez who still confirmed that to beat Oblak you have to try up to three times: he headed the crossbar and assisted the Slovenian’s miracle against Joselu’s point-blank shot after finishing off his rebound before being able to push the ball into the back of the net once and for all.
Obed Vargas rounds off the win
Beyond the two daggers that Simeone enjoys on his left, the test also allowed us to see that the ‘experiment’ of placing Mendoza as a second striker in the Griezmann style may begin to become customary; that although Spanish was not among the five languages mastered by Hjulmand, the new signing has enough character to perfectly demand a penalty from the referee and spoil the intensity of the rivals (two yellow cards after two entries in an official match made it clear that Getafe did not come for a walk; that Jorge Domínguez, at 16 years old, is meat of the first team no later than his majority… And that Obed Vargas, even if it is rounding off the penalty win, also raises his hand to stay.
TECHNICAL SHEET
Cerro del Espino (door closed)
ATHLETIC: Oblak; Domínguez, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Carlos Martín, Hjulmand, Koke, Lookman; Mendoza and Cubo.
Second: Esquivel; Boñar, Giménez, Dani Martínez, Arnau Solà; Iker Luque, Obed Vargas, Cardoso, Arnau Ortiz; Castillo and Sergio Esteban. Also Rayane and Hueso.
GETAFE: Soria; Boselli, Djené, Moha, Davinchi; Mady, Riquelme, Risco, Lozano; Álvaro Gutiérrez and Joselu.
They also played: Yassin, Ibra, Ian, Montes and Ibu.
REFEREE: Álvaro Rodríguez Recio. He showed yellow to Mady (55′) and Davinchi (64′)
GOALS: 1-0 5′ Lookman. 2-0 35′ Lookman. 41 2-1 Álvaro Gutiérrez. 3-1 56′ Arnau Ortiz. 4-1 90′ Obed Vargas, penalty.
