Cholo’s troubles: How Cardenas & costly mistakes put Atletico’s title in jeopardy

Perhaps the biggest surprise to happen in La Liga last matchday was Atletico Madrid losing to Levante at the Wanda Metropolitano. Even though Diego Simeone’s troops are still firmly in control of that first place in the table, it seems we’re getting a race in Spain after all.

Still, with Barcelona stumbling once again too, it were Real Madrid who prospered the most from the latest set of games in the domestic league. Cholo’s team have faced Levante twice within a weak and have only managed to record a draw and a defeat, thus unnecessarily complicating their otherwise dominant situation.

This tactical analysis will aim to dissect both teams’ tactics and tell you just how Levante got the better of Atlético Madrid.

Lineups

Interestingly, the two teams faced each other before this clash and there weren’t that many crucial changes in the hosts’ squad. Atletico Madrid were deployed in a 3-5-2 formation with Mario Hermoso, Felipe and José Giménez in front of Jan Oblak. In midfield, Koke and Marcos Llorente were joined by Geoffrey Kondogbia while Renand Lodi and Ángel Correa manned the flanks.

Up top, Simeone opted to go with the familiar tandem of Luis Suárez and João Félix, who was back in the gala XI.

Levante, on the other hand, made a lot of changes from their midweek clash with the same opponent. This time, the young Daniel Cárdenas was in goal, replacing Aitor Abarisketa, and only four players from the last lineup returned to face the Rojiblancos again.

Paco López decided to bring in fresh legs, changing everyone except Rober Pier, Mickael Malsa, José Morales and Enis Bardhi, all of whom featured last Wednesday as well. Levante were deployed in a 5-4-1 formation.