Ten men, two points saved: Atlético’s chaotic 2-2 with Villarreal

Atlético Madrid 2-2 Villarreal had a lead, a comeback, a red card and a stoppage-time rescue. Villarreal will point to an expected-goals count of 3.60 to 0.71 and argue they were robbed; Atlético will point to ten men and a late equaliser and call it earned. Both are right, which is what made it such a night.

Marc Pubill nudged the hosts ahead on 59, and for a while the Metropolitano had its comfortable evening. Then it turned: Gerard Moreno levelled on 66, Robin Le Normand was sent off on 76, and Georges Mikautadze’s penalty two minutes later put Villarreal ahead. Down a goal and down a man, Atlético looked beaten.

They were not. Giuliano Simeone struck on 85 from an Álex Baena assist to make it 2-2, a goal born of pure defiance rather than control — Atlético mustered just 0.71 xG all night. With ten men clinging on, a point from this position is the sort of result that galvanises a dressing room even as the underlying numbers wince.

Villarreal produced the far better performance and 3.60 xG deserved more than a draw; they will rue the finishing that left the door open. Atlético got out of jail through spirit, and sometimes that is a currency of its own — but they cannot bank on 0.71 xG rescuing them every week.