Atlético de Madrid faced Paris Saint-Germain in their debut match at the Club World Cup, held in Los Angeles on Sunday night. The match kicked off at 21:00 (Spanish time) and set the stage for what would be an eventful encounter for the Spanish side.
Diego Simeone, the Atlético coach, selected Antoine Griezmann to lead the attack alongside Argentine Julián Álvarez. This choice is particularly noteworthy as Griezmann had only started in two of the last five matches and had not scored in his previous sixteen appearances. The lineup also featured Rodrigo De Paul, Samuel Lino, and Pablo Barrios in midfield, while Koke was absent.
Atlético Madrid’s starting lineup included: Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, Clément Lenglet, Javi Galán; Rodrigo De Paul, Samuel Lino, Pablo Barrios; Julián Álvarez, Giuliano Simeone, and Antoine Griezmann.
The match was marred by several controversial referee decisions that led to frustration for Atlético. In the first half, Atlético claimed a penalty and the potential red card for Nuno Mendes’ foul on Giuliano Simeone, which was not even deemed a foul by the referee, Kovacs. Later, a goal by Julián Álvarez was disallowed due to a prior foul by Koke, and shortly thereafter, Clément Lenglet received a second yellow card for protesting a call against Oblak.
The controversial decisions spurred criticism from commentators. Gonzalo Miró expressed his view that the referee’s bias seemed glaringly unjust, especially given PSG’s two-goal lead. Paco González noted that while the disallowed goal was justified, the failure to protect the goalkeeper was a significant oversight. Pedro Martín, a referee specialist, called the officiating disappointing, highlighting the referee’s previous experience in high-profile matches, including the Champions League final.
This match signifies a challenging start for Atlético de Madrid in their international campaign, but they have the opportunity to regroup and address both their performance and the controversial officiating as they move forward in the tournament. Fans will be hoping for a stronger showing in their next match and a resolution to the on-field issues experienced during this opener.