Atlético Madrid secured a vital win to stay in the fight for third place, and amid discussions about resting players for the upcoming World Cup, Simeone’s side found a warrior in Pubill—a player who refuses to look beyond the next match. The Catalan has earned his spot in the World Cup with a stellar season, but he shows no signs of taking it easy. It’s a joy to see such commitment.
A look at Atlético’s lineup against Osasuna.
A big scare came with a penalty awarded just before halftime—a situation similar to the Copa final, but this time VAR corrected the referee. Musso confidently punched clear against Budimir and won the duel. In the second half, he looked very secure dealing with crosses and pulled off a fine save to deny Budimir, keeping the visitors at bay. A solid display from the Argentine.
Rating: 6
Like Pubill, he had to switch positions. Started at right-back but moved into midfield after Mendoza’s injury. His pass set up the move that led to Atlético’s second goal. He was sent off for a second yellow card after stopping an Osasuna counterattack—another absence ahead of the Girona game.
Rating: 6
It doesn’t matter where he plays. He began as a center-back, but after Mendoza’s injury and Le Normand’s introduction, he shifted to right-back. He’s at an incredible level. He produced one of Atlético’s most dangerous moves in the first half, only to see Aitor Fernández make a stunning save. When the play seemed dead, he conjured a brilliant pass for Llorente to assist Sorloth for the second goal. Simeone has built a phenomenal footballer.
Rating: 8
The Slovak was back to his best after a few below-par games following an ankle scare to make the Champions League. Against Osasuna, he covered every hole in defense and joined the attack effectively. Atlético should consider a back three with Pubill and Hancko as wide center-backs. When he pushes forward freely, he’s a constant threat.
Rating: 6
The Italian got forward easily down his flank but lacked precision in his crosses—usually one of his strengths. He linked well with Lookman but couldn’t make an impact in attack.
Rating: 5
The Mexican continues to prove he can thrive at the top level. He wasn’t as flashy as at Mestalla, but he did a lot of hard work alongside Koke throughout the match. He’s taking small steps and earning Simeone’s trust.
Rating: 5
The captain keeps adding minutes in a season where he’s once again shown how irreplaceable he’ll be when he decides to hang up his boots for Atlético. He made a glaring error that left Budimir one-on-one with Musso, but recovered minutes later by clearing a goal-bound ball off the line in the six-yard box.
Rating: 5
The Murcian returned to the starting lineup after drawing a blank against Celta. He had a great chance from a spectacular Griezmann pass, but suffered a cruel injury before the 20th minute.
Rating: 5
For anyone who has followed Atlético this season, it must be striking to see Almada among Scaloni’s choices for Argentina’s World Cup squad. The coach trusts him deeply, but his performances leave much to be desired. He made a terrible mistake in possession that led to the disallowed penalty for Musso—he got lucky. Time is running out for him to secure a future at Atlético; he was substituted at halftime.
Rating: 3
The Frenchman didn’t shine brightly but showed flashes of quality. He set up Mendoza for a one-on-one with Aitor Fernández and then produced a brilliant piece of skill to force Javi Galán’s penalty. When it seemed he would take the shot, he passed to Lookman instead. His time as a rojiblanco is coming to an end…
Rating: 5
He was the main threat for the home side throughout the game. He probed down the left, helped build play, and scored the opening goal from the penalty spot. The Nigerian stretched the defense every time he could run forward. A strong performance from Ademola.
Rating: 6
Came on in the first half after Mendoza’s injury. That shift moved Pubill to right-back and Llorente into midfield. He led the defense from the center, flanked by Pubill and Hancko. He made a couple of adventurous runs forward with the ball. Could have done better on Osasuna’s goal.
Rating: 5
Introduced at halftime for Almada. He battled in attack, trying to win duels and give Atlético an outlet long. He found a golden chance to tap in Llorente’s cross for the equalizer.
Rating: 5
The Frenchman came on late after Llorente’s sending-off. He hasn’t been lucky—he was involved in Kike Barja’s goal and a potential penalty on Budimir.
Rating: N/A
He opted for a starting XI without academy players. He wants to fight for third place until the final day. He made three substitutions, all of them first-team players.
Rating: 6