In the 25th round of LaLiga EA Sports, Atlético Madrid defeated Espanyol 4-2 at home, ending a month-long streak without a league victory thanks to two goals from Alexander Sorloth. Meanwhile, Real Betis drew 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano in a match marred by lengthy manipulations of the video assistant referee system. Sunday's clashes will be dominated by the match between Getafe and crisis-stricken Sevilla, who will play without their suspended coach Matías Almeyda.

Alexander Sorloth's Brace

The Norwegian Atlético Madrid striker scored two goals in the 4-2 victory over Espanyol, sealing the team's return to the winning path.

Refereeing Chaos in Seville

The Betis vs. Rayo match lasted a record 104 minutes due to numerous and prolonged VAR interventions regarding penalty decisions.

Sevilla's Crisis Ahead of Clash with Getafe

The Andalusian club is fighting to avoid the relegation zone without its coach Matías Almeyda, who is suspended for seven matches.

Saturday's matches on Spanish pitches brought a breakthrough in form for Atlético Madrid, who defeated Espanyol Barcelona 4-2 at their home Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium. Although the visitors took the lead as early as the 6th minute with a goal from Jofre Carreras, Diego Simeone's men managed to turn the match around. The hero of the evening was Alexander Sorloth, whose two goals and assists from Antoine Griezmann and Alex Baena secured three points for the hosts. This victory is crucial for the club's budget, as it keeps "Los Colchoneros" in the fight for positions guaranteeing participation in next year's Champions League. The Metropolitano stadium, inaugurated in 2017 as the successor to the legendary Vicente Calderón, has become a symbol of Atlético Madrid's modern era under Diego Simeone, gathering nearly 70,000 spectators during the most important European competitions. Completely different moods prevailed in Seville, where Real Betis shared points with Rayo Vallecano after a 1-1 draw. However, the media and coaches focused not on the result, but on the referees' work. The match lasted a full 104 minutes due to prolonged analyses of the VAR. The biggest controversy was sparked by an incident involving Nabil Mendy and Cucho Hernández, where the referee had to determine whether a foul occurred inside the penalty area. Coach Manuel Pellegrini sharply criticized this model of match management, suggesting it kills the rhythm of the game. „Me ha parecido que el VAR intervino muy mal, sin necesidad” (I thought the VAR intervened very poorly, without necessity) — Manuel Pellegrini On Sunday, fans' attention shifts to the Coliseum, where Getafe will host Sevilla. The visitors find themselves in a difficult position, having earned only 10 points in their last 16 matches, which represents a drastic regression compared to the 16 points earned in the first eight rounds of the season. An additional difficulty for the Andalusian side will be the absence of head coach Matías Almeyda, who has begun serving a seven-match suspension. The team will be led by his assistant, Javi Martínez, while Adnan Januzaj may appear in the squad for the first time in a long while.

Mentioned People

  • Alexander Sorloth — Norwegian striker for Atlético Madrid, scorer of two goals against Espanyol.
  • Diego Simeone — Manager of Atlético Madrid, who is managing squad rotations ahead of the Champions League.
  • Manuel Pellegrini — Experienced Real Betis manager, criticizing the VAR system.
  • Matías Almeyda — Sevilla manager suspended for seven matches by the Spanish federation.