Atletico Madrid 0-1 Real Betis Player Ratings: Antony Leads Betis to Famous Win Against Atletico | La Liga

Real Betis picked up a stunning 1-0 victory over Atlético Madrid in a tense La Liga match at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. In this article, we will discuss Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis Player Ratings from the La Liga clash.

The game was tight and tactical from the start. It was not a free-flowing contest. Both teams focused on structure and discipline.

The decisive moment came in the 28th minute. Antony scored with a powerful left-footed shot from outside the penalty area. Jan Oblak had no chance to stop it.

Atlético Madrid controlled possession after conceding. They pushed forward and created several opportunities. However, Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles produced a series of important saves. Pressure increased in the second half. Betis defended deep and remained organised. Atlético thought they had equalised, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

Betis showed great determination and discipline throughout. They executed their plan perfectly. It was a frustrating night for Atlético Madrid. Real Betis left with three valuable points and a memorable away win.

Key Takeaways

1. Antony scored in the 28th minute with a powerful shot from outside the box.
2. Atlético Madrid had a goal ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
3. Álvaro Valles made key saves late in the match to protect the lead.

Real Betis Player Ratings vs Atletico Madrid

Let's take a look at Real Betis player ratings from the match against Atletico Madrid:

Goalkeeper

Álvaro Valles - 8.5: Our man of the match, without a doubt. He was simply sensational between the sticks, making five crucial saves, all from inside the box. Valles was the primary reason Betis walked away with a clean sheet. What stood out was his composure under constant pressure, especially on headers from Giménez. A truly commanding and match-winning performance.

Defenders

Diego Llorente - 7.0: A real warrior at the back. Llorente was a clearance machine, racking up an impressive 12 to snuff out danger. He won the majority of his duels and put his body on the line. There was a heart-in-mouth moment with a potential own goal, but VAR came to his rescue. A solid, if slightly chaotic, display.

Natan - 6.5: Had a few nervy moments, especially in the air where he struggled against Atlético's attackers. However, he made four important clearances and a couple of key interceptions. He did just enough to contribute to the defensive wall that Betis built. Not his best game, but he got the job done.

Ricardo Rodríguez - 6.5: A quiet but very composed performance from the defender. He was neat and tidy in possession, rarely giving the ball away. Defensively, he was positioned well and made five clearances. He wasn't a major influence going forward but his reliability was key to the clean sheet.

Aitor Ruibal - 7.0: The captain put in a real shift. He covered a tremendous amount of ground and was instrumental in breaking up Atlético's play with three tackles and three interceptions. His long-ball distribution was sometimes wayward, but his defensive work-rate and leadership were undeniable. He really led by example.

Midfielders

Pablo Fornals - 6.5: A mixed bag from Fornals. He worked tirelessly and helped his team defensively. However, he was a bit loose in possession, losing the ball 13 times. He created one key pass before being substituted. An industrious but ultimately unspectacular outing.

Álvaro Fidalgo - 6.0: Struggled to get a foothold in the game. He was often bypassed in midfield and lost possession too easily. From our perspective, he looked a bit off the pace before being taken off late in the game. A forgettable performance.

Marc Roca - 7.0: The anchor in midfield. Roca was incredibly tidy, completing 95% of his passes and providing a calming presence. He won his duels and made crucial tackles to protect his backline. A very disciplined and effective performance that was vital to Betis's structure.

Forwards

Antony - 7.5: The hero of the hour. His stunning goal was a moment of pure quality that decided the contest. Beyond the goal, his work rate was impressive, tracking back to make two tackles and two interceptions. He provided the spark that his team desperately needed.

Abde Ezzalzouli - 7.5: A livewire throughout. He was Betis's most consistent creative threat, providing the assist for the goal and creating another big chance. His dribbling caused problems for the Atlético defence. The yellow card was a minor blot on an otherwise excellent and energetic display.

Cédric Bakambu - 6.5: A frustrating night for the striker. He got into great positions and had two shots on target well-saved by Oblak. He will be disappointed to have missed a big chance that could have sealed the game earlier. His effort was there, but the finishing touch was missing.

Substitutes

Sergi Altimira - N/A: Brought on to add fresh legs and help see out the victory.

Nelson Deossa - N/A: Came on late to offer an outlet and run the clock down.

Marc Bartra - N/A: A late defensive substitution to secure the backline.

Rodrigo Riquelme - N/A: Had a blocked shot in his brief cameo.

Manager

M. Pellegrini - 8.0: He got his tactics spot on. Pellegrini set his team up to be defensively impenetrable and to strike on the counter. The plan worked to perfection, frustrating a top side and securing a massive three points on the road. A true tactical victory.

Atletico Madrid Player Ratings vs Real Betis

Check out Atletico Madrid player ratings from the La Liga fixture:

Goalkeeper

Jan Oblak - 6.5: Could do absolutely nothing about Antony's wonder strike. He made two decent saves to keep his team in the contest. His distribution was flawless, but he was let down by his attack's inability to score. A helpless spectator for the game's decisive moment.

Defenders

José María Giménez - 7.0: Was Atlético's biggest threat, surprisingly. He had two powerful headers on target from set-pieces that forced great saves. He was a beast in possession, with over 100 touches. Defensively he was strong, though part of a losing effort.

Matteo Ruggeri - 5.0: A really difficult 45 minutes for the defender. He struggled against Betis's wide players, committed a foul that earned him a yellow card, and was promptly substituted at halftime. A performance to forget.

Marcos Llorente - 6.0: An industrious but defensively questionable performance. He was dribbled past three times, which is a concern. He tried to contribute going forward but looked vulnerable at the back. Not his finest hour in an Atlético shirt.

Dávid Hancko - 6.5: One of the more solid players for the home side. He was extremely comfortable on the ball and distributed it well. He wasn't directly at fault for the goal and did his job without much fuss. A decent individual display in a poor team result.

Midfielders

Rodrigo Mendoza - 5.5: A very poor outing. He made a glaring error that led to a Betis shot and looked completely lost. It was no surprise to see him substituted early in the second half. He just never got into the rhythm of the match.

Koke - 7.0: The captain was everywhere. With a staggering 145 touches, he desperately tried to will his team forward. He dictated the tempo and created two chances, but his efforts were in vain. He can hold his head high despite the result.

Thiago Almada - 6.0: A very quiet first half. He was solid in the tackle but offered little to no offensive threat. He was withdrawn at halftime as Simeone sought a different approach. An anonymous performance.

Giuliano Simeone - 6.0: Full of running but lacked any semblance of end product. He lost possession an astonishing 20 times, which killed many of his team's attacks. He tried to be direct but his decision-making let him down repeatedly.

Forwards

Julián Alvarez - 6.0: Starved of service. The forward had one shot on target but was otherwise isolated. It was a frustrating 45 minutes for him before being hooked at the break. He simply wasn't given the opportunity to make an impact.

Ademola Lookman - 6.0: Looked dangerous in patches but his final action was consistently poor. He was caught offside twice and his shots missed the target. A night of 'what ifs' for the attacker, who couldn't find the clinical edge.

Substitutes

Alexander Sørloth - 6.5: Added a much-needed physical presence and had a decent header saved.

Robin Le Normand - 6.0: Brought some stability to the backline after replacing Ruggeri.

Álex Baena - 5.5: Made a minimal impact other than getting booked and trying to win a cheap foul.

Antoine Griezmann - 6.5: Looked creative after coming on, setting up a chance and taking a shot himself.

Obed Vargas - N/A: Had too little time to influence the proceedings.

Manager

D. Simeone - 6.0: His team had all the ball but no ideas. They looked predictable in attack and couldn't find a way through Betis's low block. His substitutions brought some energy but couldn't change the result. A frustrating day at the office for the Argentinian coach.

Man of the Match

Sportsdunia's player of the match was Alvaro Valles.

Worst Performer

Matteo Ruggeri was unable to produce anything notworthy.