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Atletico Madrid and Valencia shared the spoils after a highly entertaining clash at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday as a Dani Parejo free-kick denied the hosts a much-awaited win at home.
Los Rojiblancos headed into the game with the hopes of ending a run of consecutive home games without scoring and winning. While they were finally able to find the back of the net, Diego Simeone's men still failed to establish a victory, further extending their winless run at home to three games.
Diego Costa emerged as the man to finally put the Madrid giants on the board after converting a penalty which was presented courtesy of a Denis Cheryshev hand-ball. However, just when it looked like the goal was enough for the hosts to break their unwanted streak, Parejo netted a phenomenal free-kick to level the game.
Meanwhile, Valencia, who endured a difficult start to the season after they sacked Marcelino García Toral, have turned their fortunes around and are surely the happier team after the exciting draw in Madrid.
Los Che headed into the game on the back of consecutive wins over Athletic Bilbao and Alaves before the international break and while they were unable to extend their streak, they came off the game with a deserved point which is more than Albert Celades could have asked for from such an intense competition.
In this article, we take a look at players who impressed or flopped during the game:
#3 Poor: Denis Cheryshev
Denis Cheryshev may have headed into the game on the back of a great display, following a brace in Russia’s 5-0 win over Cyprus during the international break, but the winger had a game to forget at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
The 28-year-old was at fault for Atletico Madrid’s goal as his needless handball inside the box led to a penalty, which was confirmed by the VAR. Diego Costa converted the resultant spot-kick with an assured finish to break the deadlock in the 36th minute.
Cheryshev could have redeemed his mistake in the second half when he was teed up by Maxi Lopez, but the Russian failed to get the better of Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak and was only able to hit the woodwork from close range.
The former Sevilla and Villarreal man, who also received a yellow card towards the end of the first half, was finally taken out misery when Valencia boss Albert Celades substituted him in the 77th minute.
Valencia looked more potent in attack after his departure, with Los Che scoring their equaliser through Daniel Parejo’s spectacular free-kick just five minutes after Cheryshev’s substitution.
Also check out:La Liga La Liga fixtures La liga table 2019-20
#2 Impressed: Diego Costa
Diego Costa put an end to recent criticism surrounding his contribution in front of goal by registering his 50th La Liga goal for Atletico Madrid against Valencia.
The 31-year-old striker gave the hosts a half-time lead after converting a deserved penalty in the 36th minute. The Spaniard found his cross blocked by Denis Cheryshev's raised hand in the box, prompting the referee to consult VAR and subsequently award the spot-kick.
Costa carried a bulk of the pressing alongside an uninspired Alvaro Morata but the duo was largely wasteful in their chances in the final third. The only redemption for the former came when he stepped up for the penalty and sent Jasper Cillessen the wrong way with a confident finish into the left corner of the net.
The former Chelsea striker's only other goal this season came during the Rojiblancos' 2-0 win over Mallorca in September so a goal at home might just offer him the necessary push to get him back to his previous lethal form.
#2 Poor: Alvaro Morata
Alvaro Morata looks a shadow of his former self as the Spanish international had yet another woeful outing against Valencia on Saturday evening. The striker is enduring a barren spell in front of goal, having found the back of the net just once in seven appearances in all competitions so far this season.
It is not rare for strikers to have lean spells, but Morata looks low on confidence and although he did manage to get into good positions at times, the former Chelsea star ultimately failed to apply his finishing touches or time his final balls.
Morata’s latest lacklustre display is sure to frustrate Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, who substituted the 26-year-old for the second La Liga game running. A lot was expected from the Spaniard since his move from Chelsea in January, but so far the striker has failed to become an undisputed member of Los Rojiblancos.
Following a string of disappointing performances, it will not be surprising to see Morata being dropped from Atletico Madrid’s starting line-up for their upcoming Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday night.
#1 Impressed: Dani Parejo
Dani Parejo emerged as Valencia's saviour against Los Rojiblancos as he helped maintain their unbeaten run in La Liga with a stunning free-kick that salvaged a crucial draw for his side.
The 30-year-old midfielder, who netted in each of Valencia's first four league matches this season, stepped up to take a free-kick 25 yards from goal and managed to curl a spectacular ball below the crossbar and beyond the reach of Jan Oblak.
The Valencia skipper continued to pile on the pressure in the final third and came close to the winning goal when he hammered a strong effort towards the bottom corner only for Atletico's immense shot-stopper to ward off the shot.
Had it not been for Oblak's phenomenal reflexes and saves in the latter part of the game, Parejo would have undoubtedly won the fixture for Los Che.
#1 Poor: Lee Kang-in
It is difficult to feature as a flop after being substituted in late on, but Lee Kang-in has managed the rare feat. The South Korea international, who was brought on in place of Cheryshev in the 77th minute, endured a brief and difficult time against Atletico Madrid.
The 18-year-old never really settled in at the Wanda Metropolitano and struggled to match the pace of the game. Following Parejo’s 82nd-minute equaliser, Valencia looked more and more likely to add to their tally. In addition, Los Che also had a man advantage as Joao Felix was injured and couldn’t continue playing, with the hosts already having made their three substitutions.
A reckless challenge from Kang-in in the 90th minute saw him being shown a yellow card by the referee, who upgraded it to a red card after consulting the VAR. The teenager’s dismissal cancelled out Valencia’s numerical lead, and the visitors had to settle for a 1-1 draw, despite finishing the game strongly.
Kang-in, who has progressed through Valencia’s youth set-up, needs to be a lot more composed and level-headed if he wishes to be a success at a club of Atletico's level.
