At Mestalla, Valencia received Atlético de Madrid for this 34th day of La Liga in a long-closed meeting. The two teams offered a committed match but poor in chances in the first half, each struggling to find space in well-organized blocks. Valencia tried to impose pace, without success, while Atlético remained disciplined and compact. At the break, the score was logically goalless in a fairly close match.
In the second half, Simeone’s men gradually gained the upper hand and made the difference in the last quarter of an hour. Iker Luque opened the scoring in the 74th minute, before Cubo made the break in the 82nd minute on a pass from Griezmann for the Colchoneros, his goal being validated after intervention by the VAR. Solid until the end, Atlético won (2-0) away, building up confidence before the semi-final return against Arsenal on Tuesday evening in the Champions League in London.
