Woke up today buzzing about last night’s Almeria vs Atletico Madrid clash. Grabbed my coffee and fired up the laptop right after breakfast, itching to unpack how this result messes with La Liga’s whole vibe this season.
Tearing Apart The Match Footage
First thing, I rewatched all the key moments while scribbling notes. That penalty call against Atletico in the 68th minute? Proper harsh. Saw Simeone’s face on the sidelines – man looked ready to murder someone. And Almeria’s goal in injury time? Pure chaos with the keeper charging up like a madman. Paused it like ten times checking offside positions myself.
Checked stats on my football app too:
- Almeria’s last 3 home games: Drew all three ugly draws
- Atletico’s xG: 2.8 but only scored once
- Possession: Atletico had 67% but felt wasteful
League Table Gut Check
Dug into the current standings with my spreadsheet open. Before kickoff, Atletico was hanging onto 4th place by goal difference. Now? Dropped to 5th after Bilbao won yesterday. That Champions League spot just got slippery as hell.
Meanwhile Almeria finally crawled off the bottom. Still totally doomed for relegation though – seven points from safety with ten games left. Told my cat “no way they survive” while crunching the numbers.
Played What-If Scenarios
Got curious about ripple effects. If Atletico bottle top four now… what happens to Oblak and Griezmann contracts? Remembered reading about release clauses kicking in if no UCL football. Scribbled predictions:
- Barcelona secretly cheering this result
- Real Betis suddenly back in European contention
- Transfer dominoes starting early if Atletico panic
Checked fixtures too – Atletico still gotta face Barca and Sevilla away. Literally groaned imagining their schedule.
Final Reality Check
Threw cold water on my own hype. Yeah this result matters, but last season Villarreal clawed back from worse. Called my mate Dave who supports Atleti – dude was still raging about the ref when I told him my take. Truth is, the big clubs always find a way. Still smells like drama brewing for May though.
Published my notes with a hot take: This isn’t about Almeria surviving. It’s about whether Atletico’s whole project starts crumbling before summer. Got roasted in comments already. Classic Monday.