By OUR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT in
Madrid
DIEGO SIMEONE’S Madrid maestros turned on the style at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano last night, brushing aside a toothless Mallorca 3-0 to reclaim their spot on the LaLiga podium.
It was a night where the stars truly aligned for the Rojiblancos.
Norwegian giant Alexander Sorloth continued his blistering run of form, while Argentine ace Thiago Almada came off the bench to provide a moment of pure South American magic that left the home faithful purring.
The contest was only 22 minutes old when the breakthrough arrived.
Marcos Llorente, acting as the engine room once again, unleashed a thunderous volley that Mallorca keeper Leo Roman did well to parry. But like a shark sensing blood, Sorloth was there.
The Norwegian predator reacted quickest, poking home from point-blank range to register his third goal in as many games. He is quickly becoming the undroppable man in Simeone’s attacking jigsaw.
Comedy of Errors
Despite dominating possession, Atleti had to wait until the 75th minute to double their lead—and they did so with a helping hand from the visitors.
In a moment of pure slapstick comedy, Mallorca’s Mateu Morey attempted a desperate clearance from a Llorente cross. Instead of finding the stands, he smashed the ball directly into the face of his teammate David Lopez, with the ball ricocheting comically into the net.
But the night belonged to the substitute. Thiago Almada, brought on to add a touch of class to the closing stages, did exactly that in the 87th minute.
Receiving the ball on the left, the World Cup winner danced past two defenders with the grace of a tango performer before curling a wicked strike into the top corner. It was a goal fit to win any game and served as a reminder of the frightening depth at Simeone’s disposal.
The win sees Atletico leapfrog Villarreal back into third place, keeping the pressure on the big two at the top of the table.
For Mallorca, the relegation trapdoor is starting to creak.
