Atletico Madrid 2-2 Juventus: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis | Champions League 2019/20

#2 Diego Simeone’s substitutions work a charm

Simeone altered the course of the game through his substitutions

Through the course of the opening 45 minutes, Atletico looked the stronger of the outfits and they exerted their dominance on the game. However, after the break, they were caught out by two sucker punches as the visitors raced into a two-goal lead.

Thus, at that juncture, many felt that the Old Lady had dealt Diego Simeone’s men a dose of their own medicine.

Yet, the Argentine dug deep into his tactical hat and pulled out a few shrewd rabbits, thereby enabling his side to mount an improbable comeback.

Angel Correa came on for Lemar, Hector Herrera replaced Thomas Partey and Lodi was withdrawn for Vitolo.

Each of the aforementioned substitutions played their roles to perfection as Atletico roared back into the match.

The introduction of Correa allowed Koke to switch sides, meaning that the latter could influence the game a lot more. Herrera, meanwhile, injected a lot of energy and guile in midfield, thereby allowing the hosts to control the middle third.

Vitolo, on the other hand, was effervescent throughout his stint on the pitch and posed a completely different set of questions to the Juventus defence.

The trio was, invariably, a part of everything good the home side did in the second half.

To cap it all off, Herrera rose high in the Juventus box to nod home a corner on the cusp of full-time, ensuring that Atletico shared the spoils with their Italian rivals.

Over the past few seasons, Simeone has carved a niche for himself as a top-drawer manager. Yet, there have been a few questions raised over his ability to succeed in Europe, a matter compounded by last season’s shattering loss to Juventus.

However, on Wednesday, the Argentine highlighted that he remains one of the premier managers in the world and one capable of altering the outcome of games.