Atletico Madrid dropped two crucial points in their bid for the La Liga title after a 1-1 draw against Villarreal on Saturday, January 25, 2025. The match, played at Atletico’s home ground, the Metropolitano Stadium, saw a hard-fought battle between the two sides, with both teams creating several chances.
Villarreal took the lead in the first half through a penalty by Gerard Moreno. The goal came after Atletico’s Reinildo Mandava fouled Moreno inside the penalty area, allowing the Spanish forward to calmly convert from the spot, despite Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak diving in the right direction. The penalty was a rare moment of frustration for the Atletico defense, which had previously been solid in the match.
Atletico, who were looking to bounce back from their surprising defeat to Leganes the previous weekend, struggled to break down Villarreal in the first half. Despite dominating possession, the Madrid-based team found it difficult to penetrate Villarreal’s defense. A notable attempt came from Julian Alvarez, who had a powerful shot saved by Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior.
The second half saw a change in momentum, with Atletico equalizing just after the hour mark. Samuel Lino scored the equalizer, tapping in at the back post after an attempt from Angel Correa. Correa’s shot was deflected by Luiz Junior, falling kindly for Lino, who made no mistake in securing the goal.
Despite making some tactical changes, including bringing on Antoine Griezmann and Rodrigo de Paul from the bench, Atletico couldn’t find a winner. The pair combined in the closing moments of the match, with De Paul delivering a cross that Griezmann was unable to convert, heading the ball off target.
Atletico’s inability to secure all three points leaves them in second place in the standings, one point behind rivals Real Madrid, who were set to play against bottom-placed Valladolid later that day. Meanwhile, Barcelona, who sit in third place, are six points behind Atletico and are looking to close the gap when they host Valencia on Sunday.
Villarreal, who remain in fifth place, trail fourth-place Athletic Bilbao and third-place Barcelona by five points. Their point in Madrid kept them in the hunt for a spot in European competitions next season.
