After a bruising week in Europe, Atletico Madrid found the perfect way to respond. Diego Simeone’s men, who were torn apart in their 4–0 Champions League loss to Arsenal as reported by Softfootball, showed real character in Seville on Monday night, beating Real Betis 2–0 at the Estadio La Cartuja. As reported by Softfootball in the pre-game report, the victory came at just the right time for the visitors, who needed a lift after a tough week.
It took Atlético barely three minutes to strike. Giuliano Simeone, son of the coach, smashed in a well-taken volley after Betis failed to deal with a long throw from Dávid Hancko. It was a proper Simeone-style goal, scrappy, quick, and full of hunger. Betis, for all their possession and intent, couldn’t find a way through. They ended the night with more shots and the ball for longer spells, but Atleti’s defence, led superbly by José María Giménez and Robin Le Normand, never looked like cracking.
Just before halftime, Álex Baena put the game to bed with a classy finish. Julián Álvarez burst forward on the counter and slipped the ball wide, and Baena did the rest by cutting inside and curling a beauty into the far corner. That goal summed up what Atleti were about on the night: calm, clinical, and patient. It’s no wonder Simeone recently hailed Álvarez’s work rate and loyalty to the club, as Softfootball earlier reported.
Real Betis missed the spark of Isco, who is still recovering from a long-term fibula injury, and struggled to create much despite the efforts of Giovani Lo Celso and Abde Ezzalzouli. The latter came closest when his free kick smashed against Jan Oblak’s crossbar, a moment that drew gasps from the home crowd. Pellegrini’s side tried, but it wasn’t their night.
Oblak’s clean sheet bolsters Atletico’s nine-game unbeaten streak, positioning them as frontrunners in the 2025-26 title race after rebounding from a midweek Champions League loss. Atletico Madrid, via their official X account, shared an insightful video clip of goalkeeper Jan Oblak executing a pivotal save to deny a clear scoring chance and keep his team leading.
Watch the video below:
By the end, Atlético were in full control, managing the game the way Simeone loves—disciplined, compact, and efficient. The win lifts them into fourth place with 19 points, while Betis stay sixth on 16. It also extends Atlético’s dominance in this fixture, as they have now beaten Betis in four of their last six meetings.
A gritty response, a clean sheet, and a reminder that under Simeone, Atlético always find a way back.
