The VAR decision confirmed Morata’s goal, giving Atlético de Madrid three crucial points in the battle for LaLiga supremacy.
Atlético de Madrid travelled to Girona on Monday to close out matchday 25 of LaLiga 2022-23. Diego Simeone’s side stepped onto the field with a slightly depleted squad following their win over Sevilla at the Metropolitano, while Girona were eager to rebound after a defeat in Madrid to Getafe and to offer their supporters a fresh lift. In a tight encounter, Morata found the net from a corner, a goal that seemed offside at first but was ultimately validated by VAR.
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In stoppage time, Morata’s decisive finish, after VAR intervened to overturn Melero López’s initial ruling, condemned Girona to a 0-1 defeat. The result also highlighted Atlético’s opportunity to capitalise on Real Sociedad and Real Betis drawing earlier in the day, reinforcing Atlético’s advantage in the table and heightening Girona’s relegation concerns.
The Madrid club extended their unbeaten run in LaLiga to nine matches (W6 D3), continuing a pragmatic approach adopted after the World Cup break. Four of Atlético’s last five league victories ended 1-0, underscoring their ability to grind out results when needed.
However, the game featured a spell of pressure after Simeone made a triple substitution. The changes, which brought in Correa, Rodrigo de Paul, and Morata, briefly altered the rhythm of the match, but Girona pushed forward and created chances, with Tsygankov and Rodrigo Riquelme threatening the Atlético goal.
Despite Morata coming off the bench in his last four appearances, he stood out as Atlético’s top scorer in LaLiga with this late Montilivi strike. The Spain international has tallied ten goals, surpassing his tally from Juventus last season (nine in 35 Serie A appearances).
Girona’s record against Atlético remains stubbornly poor. In eight competitive meetings, Girona has yet to win a match against Atlético, recording five draws and three defeats. The result further solidified Atlético’s third-place position, three points ahead of Real Sociedad and six ahead of Real Betis, while Girona remained four points clear of the relegation zone.
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Press conferences of Girona vs. Atlético Madrid of the competition
WHEN THE MATCH IS OVER, THE REACTIONS…
Álvaro Morata, speaking after the victory on DAZN, joked about the goal being worth a bike ride home if it hadn’t gone in, a light moment that reflected the relief and jubilation following a hard-fought win. The reaction was captured in social posts attributed to Goal Spain via GoalEspana on March 13, 2023.
Videos, lineups and news from Girona vs. Atlético Madrid of the competition
More footage and updates about the match would follow in the coming days, including detailed lineups and highlights. Citations for social updates come from Goal Spain via GoalEspana, dated March 13, 2023.
There was no penalty awarded for the challenge involving Mario Hermoso and Oriol Romeu, with the referee consulting Melero López before signaling a foul on Atlético. The decision intensified the debate around officiating and game management in this fixture.
Early on, Atlético Madrid faced an anxious moment when Josema Giménez failed to clear a cross, leaving a chance for Taty Castellanos that was ultimately ruled to be handled by Savic and not counted as a penalty due to the position of the attacker at the start of play.
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Note: Source materials cited include Goal and Goal Spain via GoalEspana, March 13, 2023.