August 20, (THEWILL) – Atletico Madrid began their 2024 La Liga campaign with a 2-2 draw against Villarreal at the Estadio de la Ceramica on Monday. The match saw both teams come from behind, with new signings making an impact for Diego Simeone’s side.
Villarreal took the lead in the 18th minute through Arnaut Danjuma, who beat Axel Witsel for pace and slotted home. Atletico equalised shortly after, with Antoine Griezmann setting up Marcos Llorente for a powerful finish. The home team regained the advantage when Jan Oblak failed to claim a cross, resulting in an own goal off Koke.
Alexander Sorloth, a summer arrival from Real Sociedad, levelled the score for Atletico just before half-time. His header slipped under goalkeeper Diego Conde, who might have done better to prevent the goal. The second half was evenly contested, with both teams pushing for a winner.
Atletico introduced their £85 million signing Julian Alvarez late in the game, but neither side could find a decisive goal. Villarreal’s recruit Nicolas Pepe came close with a free-kick that struck the crossbar in the closing stages.
The result reflects the competitive nature of La Liga, with both teams showing promise but also areas for improvement. Atletico will hope their revamped squad can build on this performance, while Villarreal will be encouraged by their ability to match one of Spain’s top teams.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
