Atletico Madrid’s struggles continued as they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at home by newly promoted Espanyol in La Liga on Wednesday. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, Diego Simeone’s team failed to find the net, leaving them with just one point from their opening three matches.
Atletico’s attacking woes were evident from the outset. Despite having 25 attempts on goal, they lacked the clinical edge to convert their dominance into goals. Rodrigo Riquelme twice thought he had broken the deadlock in the second half, but both goals were ruled out for offside.
Simeone expressed his frustration after the match, saying, “We played very well but lacked efficiency in front of the goal. We got off to a strong start in the first half, but then there was a bit of a letdown. We tried until the end but the ball didn’t go in because of our lack of efficiency.”
Espanyol, on the other hand, defended resolutely and made the most of their limited opportunities. They had only one attempt on goal, but it was enough to earn them a valuable point on their return to the top flight.
The result leaves Atletico in a disappointing position after three matches. They have now failed to win in their last two games, and their hopes of challenging for the title are already under threat. Espanyol, meanwhile, will be delighted with their start to the season and will be confident of maintaining their La Liga status.
In other La Liga action, Athletic Bilbao earned their first win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Valencia. Alaves also claimed their first three points with a 2-1 win at Real Sociedad, while Valladolid and Leganes played out a goalless draw.
