Sevilla went into this clash without a win in five straight league games on their own turf – their worst home run in this competition since an eight-game period that ended in February 2024, when they defeated Atletico 1-0.
And it seemed as though history would repeat itself just seven minutes in, when interplay on the left between Ruben Vargas and Adria Pedrosa saw the latter flight a ball into the box. It was cleared, but only to Lucien Agoume, who rocketed a strike into the top-right corner past Jan Oblak to open his account for 2024/25.
It could have got even better for the Sevillistas shortly after, with Oblak having to react quickly to palm away an attempted pass into the box by Chidera Ejuke, deflecting the ball away from a lurking Agoume still high on momentum from his earlier strike.
That proved very important on 23’ as well, with Atletico being awarded a penalty when Conor Gallagher was cut down by Loic Bade as he bore down on goal at the end of a slick move. Julian Alvarez stepped up and placed his effort into the bottom-right corner, sending Orjan Nyland the wrong way.
While Atletico looked revived by that leveller, they could have conceded a penalty too. Around the half-hour mark, Akor Adams received a great pass inside the box and Oblak stopped him in his tracks, but there was a shout for a penalty, with contact on the follow through that sent the Sevilla man to the turf.
That aside, it was a largely attritional end to the first half, but Nyland too earned his wage early in the second, when Giuliano Simeone took a defence-splitting pass inside the box. He drilled a shot goalwards, but Nyland was alert enough to put it out for a corner.
Having lost from a lead in last week’s Seville derby, the hosts continued to match their visitors in terms of intensity as the hour mark passed. However, the skill needed to restore their lead was sadly lacking. As for Atletico, Rodrigo Riquelme cut an influential figure in the latter stages, but he was well marked by Kike Salas, who firstly outmuscled him in an aerial duel before blocking a shot at close range.
Bade then headed over by inches from a corner, and it was a costly miss, as an impressive solo run from Pablo Barrios in the third minute of six added on culminated in a low shot beyond Nyland.
Having once again lost from an early lead, Sevilla’s endgame to 2024/25 now promises nothing more than a battle to merely finish in the top half.
A European placing is now all but out of the question for the Rojillos, while Atletico – with their title bid weakened in recent weeks – capitalised on leaders Barcelona and Real Madrid slipping up earlier in the weekend. Simeone’s men sit seven points off top spot with eight games remaining.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Pablo Barrios (Atletico Madrid)
