Good afternoon and welcome to
Sports Mole's live commentary of
Atletico Madrid's clash with
Real Valladolid in La Liga.
Team news is in for today's game, so without further ado...
Atletico: Courtois; Juanfran, Alderweireld, GodÃn, Insua; Gabi, Mario Suarez; Arda Turan, Koke,
Raul Garcia;
Diego Costa Valldolid: Marino; Rukavina, Valiente, Mitrovic, Pena; Rubio, Rossi; Larsson, V.Perez, Omar; Guerra
Atletico subs: Aranzubia, Miranda, Cebolla Rodriguez, Jose Sosa, Diego Ribas, Adrian, Villa
Almeria subs: Jaime, Bergdich, Baraja, Sastre, Rama, Osorio, Manucho
So the big news for
Diego Simeone's side is the return of Thibaut Courtois and David Villa. The goalkeeper comes right back into the starting XI, while the striker has to settle for a place on the bench. Still some stellar names in the lineup for Los Rojiblancos though...
Any time you get to watch Atletico Madrid in action, it's a good day at the office, and they have got the stars out this afternoon with the likes of Koke, Raul Garcia and Diego Costa in the side.
Atletico's exit from the Copa del Rey was confirmed in midweek when local rivals Real Madrid inflicted a 2-0 defeat on their neighbours to complete a 5-0 aggregate.
Diego Simeone's also suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to Almeria on February 8 so they 're having something of a wobble at the moment.
A win this afternoon though will take them top of La Liga. At least for a few hours until Barcelona host Almeria later this evening.
Valladolid have only won one of their last six games and have drawn their last two. They're currently 18th in the division, and a win today could take them out of the relegation zone.
They would have to beat Atleti by three goals or more though and you get the feeling today's visitors would be delighted with a draw.
The two teams are out the tunnel, we're minutes away from kick off at Vicente Calderon
The two teams are just running the formalities, pictures and the coin toss.
KICK OFF And here we go...
You have to fancy the home side this afternoon in front of their followers, let's see if it pans out like that. Costa wins an early header but it's not troubling the keeper.
Costa is down injured here. He was elbowed going up for a header by Mitrovic I think it was.
GOAL! Atletico Madrid 1-0 Valladolid (Raul Garcia)
The free kick comes in low and Raul Garcia sweeps it home from the edge of the box. Lovely finish from the midfielder. Great start.
Atletico 2-0 Valladolid (Diego Costa)
Well, what an unbelievable start this is. A long ball over the top for Costa to chase and the keeper is in a world of hurt as he lifts it over him from 20 yards with his left foot. Great finish but what was Marino doing? Well, game over?
The pattern isn't changing, it's all Atleti. This could be four, five or six here this afternoon. Corner to the home side...
It comes to Costa on the edge of the box, and surprisingly he hammers high, wide and not very handsome.
Pace has slowed down somewhat, but that was to be expected. The Los Rojiblancos faithful are certainly enjoying this though, they're in full voice at Vicente Calderon.
Wonderful play from Arda Turan as he dances away from three challenges down the line. He slides it across but the visitors scramble it clear. More goals in this for sure.
Well it's a return for Thibaut Courtois this afternoon, but the Belgian could sat on the bench with his teammates in truth. Valladolid haven't got out their own half as of yet.
Another ball for Diego Costa to chase from Gabi and he just can't quite catch it. The fans appreciate it though.
Little bit better from the visitors as Guerra gets it in the box, but Alderweireld intercepts.
Another inventive free kick sees Arda Turan receive it into feet inside the box, but his clip back is to no one on the penalty spot. It was good play from the winger though, someone should have anticipated that.
Raul Garcia is down in midfield at the moment. Looks like he caught a headbutt into the back of his own. He's up now, and play continues.
They aren't the most thrilling team to watch in the world Atletico, but they are really effective and ruthless. Not a whole lot happening at the moment.
Nice build-up play between Costa and Raul Garcia, but Gabi smashes it well wide.
Glancing header from Mario Suarez hits the roof of the net from the free kick delivery. This time it's swung in more traditionally
Another ball over the top for Costa to chase, he's very much second best for it, but he does enough to win a corner.
Pena gets a cross in but Courtois gathers the high ball without any problems. Valladold have fought back slightly, but you get the feeling Atleti can add to their lead at any time.
Garcia tries to find Costa but runs into trouble in the shape of three defenders. He is harried out of it.
Well, not a whole lot to report at the minute. Atleti have eased up since their early goals, which is a smart tactic really. They're leaving plenty in reserve and it looks, so far at least, like they're going top.
Los Rojiblancos will be happy to see this half out as it stands you would think. Juanfran gets down the line, and cuts back to Turan, but his clipped cross can't reach Costa at the back post.
We're approaching half time now, and it's been something of a training game for the home side.
HALF TIME: Atletico Madrid 1-0 Real Valladolid
Well, after an explosive start the game calmed down, and Atletico played 40 minutes with more than one eye on their Champions League tie with AC Milan next week.
Raul Garcia opened the scoring after two minutes before Diego Costa doubled the lead two minutes later, and that was about it really in the first half. Diego Simeone's side haven't been threatened and they in control. Top spot beckons for Los Rojiblancos, surely...
It would have to be an extraordinary second period to stop Simeone's men going to the summit, but stranger things have happened in football.
UPDATE: Just looking around the rest of Europe for a moment, Sunderland are into the quarter final of the FA Cup after 1-0 win against Southampton earlier this afternoon. Dortmund and Bayern Munich are both leading 3-0 in their respective games against Frankfurt and Freiburg, while Monaco are in action later this afternoon in Ligue 1. You can find all the latest live scores on the Sports Mole homepage of course.
Back to this game and it is really difficult to see how the visitors can get back into this. Simeone will be tempted to ease David Villa back in at some point, expect the Spainard to feature some time after the hour mark.
Just looking at the replays of the goals here and Diego Marino will be disappointed with himself for the second goal, it was needless charge off his line which presented Diego Costa with the chance to calmly lift it over the keeper. The first caught everyone unaware as Garcia swept it in from the edge of the box from the the pass from the free kick.
We expect the second half to get underway in the next few minutes.
KICK OFF And there we go. We're underway
David Villa is warming up, he may make his return sooner than I predicted.
Costa takes a tumble after going up for a header. He wins the free kick and Atletico continue forward until Koke is flagged offside.
Turan and Koke with some nice interchanging passes and they win a corner...
CHANCE! Marino denies Godin as the defender rises highest and gets a firm head on the ball. Good save.
CHANCE! Guerra with Valladolid's best chance as he latches onto the long pass and connect with a volley. It goes just wide, but it was a great ball by Fausto Rossi.
Costa is denied by Valiente as he tries to lay in Godin on the counter, good defending from Valiente.
Costa with some lovely build-up play, it's strong and silky as he holds off a challenge before dribbling on under pressure. He gets it back on the edge of the box but the ball is poked away before he can make room for the shot.
Atleti playing on the counter attack almost here, they keep looking for Costa with balls in behind on the floot or over the top.
Garcia feeds in Juanfran with a lovely ball in behind but he can't apply the cross. It's cut out for a corner. David Villa is preparing to come on.
David Villa even, excuse me. It's a corner for the home side first though...
Valladolid get it clear, it comes back inside and Godin heads it harmlessly to Marino in the Valladolid goal.
SUB:CHANCE! Mario Suarez heads against the bar from the corner. Almost 3-0 another corner...
This time the visitors get it clear. What a connection that header was from Suarez though, the cross bar was rattled by that.
As the seconds tick away it looks increasingly unlikely that Valladolid will muster a comeback here.
CHANCE! Turan plays in Koke who tries to feed Mario Suarez with a backheel, but Valladolid get rid of it.
Great defending from Juanfran is he denies Larsson inside the area with a well-time tackle. It was Rossi who threaded the pass again.
Gabi does well to backheel it against Perez to win a corner on the far side.
GOAL! Atletico Madrid 3-0 Real Valladolid (Diego Godin)
Textbook stuff, Godin meets the corner with a header and it sneaks in after he headed it down. Game well and truly over.
SUB: David Villa come on for Arda Turan.
Well Milan won't fancy taking on Atleti next week. They haven't got out of first gear and lead 3-0, and with the Italians sturggling in Serie A, that will be a game that Clarence Seedorf won't relish.
SUB: Manucho is coming on for Valladolid while Jose Sosa comes on for Koke.
The game is dead and buried now, but Atleti will want to maintain focus. Goal difference could be a factor later on in the season.
CHANCE! Godin sices it wide after a through ball from Diego Costa. That was a splendid pass from the striker. Another counter attack from Atletico.
Atletico want a penalty as Diego Costa dances around a defender leaving Rukavina on his backside. The ball catches the hand but the referee says 'No'.
Well Diego Simeone will be delighted with his side and the way they have gone about their work today. They haven't played particularly well really, but they have comfortably eased past a side to go to the top. A slip up with the incentive of going top could have been a problem but the home side have dismissed that theory here.
Well it might only be for a short while, but Atletico are going top in mid-February. They are a bona fide title rival to Real Madrid and Barcelona this season. Superb stuff from Los Rojiblancos to make light of their financial disadvantage.
Well perhaps that encapsulates Valldolid's sturggles there a ball is clipped up to Manucho who wins it and knocks it on to the penalty spot but no one has the thought to attack the ball and no one is near the Angolan.
FULL TIME: Atletico Madrid 3-0 Real Valldolid
Well that was a walk in the park for Atletico Madrid, goals from Raul Garcia, Diego Costa and
Diego Godin are enough are they go top of La Liga. It wasn't the most impressive of displays, but Atleti were fully deserving of their win. They're right in the hunt this term.
That's all from me, I hope you have enjoyed the commentary, bye for now.
