Atlético de Madrid has shown that its offensive scheme can continue to work without the presence of Antoine Griezmann, thanks to the combination of Álex Baena, Kang-in Lee and Pablo Barrios. On the second day of the Champions League, the red and white team scored a goal 51 seconds into the match against Manchester United, a goal that was achieved through meticulous movement from the second line of Diego Simeone's scheme.
The goal came after a center kick by Michael Carrick which, after a quick exchange of the ball, allowed Atlético to activate its attack. Cristian “Cuti” Romero launched an exit pass that reached Kang-in Lee, who with a masterful turn and a pass behind the defense opened the way for Baena. The Spanish forward, with his usual control and calm, unmarked himself and left space for Pablo Barrios, who had entered as a substitute, to finish the play with a precise shot with his right foot. Barrios' goal, which came 15 seconds into the action, secured a 2-0 victory over United, a crucial victory after the defeat at Anfield against Liverpool.
Simeone, after the victory against Málaga in August, has emphasized that Griezmann's absence does not mean a lack of quality. "I'm not looking for a similarity to Griezmann. They are all different," said the coach, highlighting the versatility of his players. The three protagonists of the Champions League play were also the top scorers in the first phase of the competition, with seven goals and five assists combined.
In the current season, Baena has been Atlético's most prolific player, with four goals and several assists, while Kang-in Lee has scored twice and has been key in creating the game. Pablo Barrios, for his part, scored his first goal of the campaign and demonstrated a passing accuracy of 94%, complementing the dynamics of the team's midfielder.
With the victory against United, Atlético remains at the top of the Champions League table, with six games to play against Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, Viking, PSV Eindhoven, Bodo/Glimt and Fenerbahce. The team continues to seek to consolidate its position and advance in the competition, while the combination of Baena, Lee and Barrios is presented as the new backbone of the rojiblanco attack.