Giuliano shakes up the Metropolitano. Best players Sofascore / Comunio from the match

The Diego Simeone side arrived after starting LaLiga with a 2-0 win over Málaga, while Villarreal had kicked off the campaign with a draw against Racing. In addition, the latest head-to-head in the league was still fresh, ending in a convincing 5-1 in favor of the Yellow Submarine. The new meeting at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano once again produced an uncomfortable matchup for the Rojiblancos.

First half

Simeone made changes from the start, with Marc Pubill, Alejandro Grimaldo, Morten Hjulmand and Kang-In Lee among the starters. Atletico tried to take control of the game with Koke and Hjulmand organizing from inside, while Giuliano, Kang-In and Lookman looked for spaces close to the area.

Villarreal managed to contain that early push without giving up the chance to go forward with danger. Nicolas Pépé and Alberto Moleiro offered escape routes, and Ayoze Pérez and Georges Mikautadze kept the home defense busy. Neither team managed to fully break the balance, and the 0-0 at the break left everything to be decided in a second half that promised to be much more eventful.

Second half

Simeone stirred things up as soon as he returned from the dressing room, bringing on Álex Baena. The match opened up and Atletico found the breakthrough in the 59th minute. Giuliano Simeone provided an assist for Marc Pubill, and the defender made it 1-0, confirming his ability to show up in attacking positions as well.

Villarreal responded from the bench. In the 61st minute, Gerard Moreno and Tajon Buchanan came on, and both moves had an immediate impact. Buchanan won a penalty after a foul by Hjulmand, and Gerard Moreno took responsibility from the spot to level it at 1-1 in the 66th minute.

Atletico replied with the introductions of Marcos Llorente, Pablo Barrios and Julián Álvarez, but the game had already changed direction. Shortly after came the most delicate moment for the home side: Le Normand brought down Mikautadze inside the area as the forward went looking for the finish. The incident ended in a penalty and a red card for the Rojiblancos central defender.

Mikautadze converted the penalty in the 78th minute to make it 1-2, putting Villarreal ahead and forcing Atletico to chase an equalizer with ten men. The Yellow Submarine looked like they had found the perfect scenario to manage their advantage, but Giuliano still had something to say.

In the 85th minute, Álex Baena found Giuliano Simeone and the Argentine sealed the 2-2. A goal, an assist, and a response with ten players that allowed Atletico to salvage a point after going from controlling the match to being behind within just a few minutes.

Top performers Comunio / Sofascore

15

Marc Pubill
6.770.000€-590.000€    -

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For Atletico Madrid, the big winner of the fantasy matchday was Marc Pubill. The defender finished with 15 Comunio points and an 8.1 on Sofascore, boosted by the goal that broke the deadlock. His ability to contribute in the opposing half again makes him an especially attractive fantasy option when he pairs his defensive minutes with attacking presence.

Giuliano Simeone was not far behind, with 14 Comunio points and 7.8 on Sofascore. His impact on the result was huge: he assisted Pubill for the 1-0 and scored the goal that allowed Atletico to rescue the draw. A complete performance that strengthens his fantasy value thanks to his ability to create decisive moments.

Jan Oblak also stood out. The goalkeeper reached 10 Comunio points and an 8.2 rating on Sofascore, the highest mark for Atletico in this latest system. Koke, with 9 points and 7.8, again delivered a solid showing in midfield, while Lookman added 7 points and 7.3.

The toughest matchday was for Robin Le Normand. The center-back finished with -5 Comunio points and 5.7 on Sofascore after the penalty incident involving Mikautadze and his subsequent sending off. A moment that had a direct impact on both the game and his fantasy score.

12

Mikautadze
14.320.000€-1.260.000€    -

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For Villarreal, the best-rated player was Georges Mikautadze, with 11 Comunio points and 7.6 on Sofascore. The forward was the star in the build-up to the second penalty and then converted from the spot to make it 1-2. His influence in the decisive stretch made him the Yellow Submarine's fantasy reference.

Gerard Moreno also made the most of his time on the pitch: 9 Comunio points and 7.1 on Sofascore after coming on as a substitute and converting the first penalty. Tajon Buchanan, with 6 points and 7.2, also produced a good return after taking part in the move that led to that maximum penalty.

Among the rest of the Yellow Submarine players, Pape Gueye, Juan Foyth, Renato Veiga and Nicolas Pépé reached five Comunio points. The distribution was much more balanced than Atletico's, where Pubill and Giuliano concentrated a large share of the best scores.

Technical sheet

Result: Atletico Madrid 2-2 Villarreal CF.

Goals: 1-0, Marc Pubill (59', assist by Giuliano Simeone); 1-1, Gerard Moreno (66', penalty); 1-2, Georges Mikautadze (78', penalty); 2-2, Giuliano Simeone (85', assist by Álex Baena).

Stadium: Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández.

Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Marc Pubill, Le Normand, Hancko, Grimaldo; Hjulmand, Koke, Rodrigo Mendoza, Kang-In Lee; Giuliano Simeone and Lookman. Also played: Álex Baena, Marcos Llorente, Pablo Barrios, Julián Álvarez and José María Giménez.

Villarreal CF: Luiz Júnior; Santiago Mouriño, Juan Foyth, Renato Veiga, Carlos Romero; Nicolas Pépé, Pape Gueye, Santi Comesaña, Alberto Moleiro; Ayoze Pérez and Georges Mikautadze. Also played: Gerard Moreno, Tajon Buchanan, Ilias Akhomach, Carlos Maciá and Tani Oluwaseyi.