Atletico Madrid Return to Form with Confident 2-0 Victory Over Real Betis

Atletico Madrid bounced back from their Champions League disappointment with a composed 2-0 win over Real Betis on Monday night, moving up to fourth place in La Liga. The result came as a timely response to their 4-0 defeat by Arsenal last week, restoring confidence and delivering their first away victory of the season.

Playing at La Cartuja Stadium, where Betis are currently based due to renovations at their home ground, Diego Simeone’s side displayed greater discipline and efficiency than in recent outings. The win also marked just their second clean sheet in nine matches across all competitions.

Giuliano Simeone, the coach’s son, opened the scoring in the early stages with a crisp volley from the edge of the box, putting the visitors ahead. Star summer signing Alex Baena doubled Atletico’s lead shortly before halftime, curling in a fine finish for his first goal since joining the club.

Goalkeeper Jan Oblak praised the team’s effort, describing the result as a crucial morale boost after a difficult week. “This is an important win, hard-fought, and I’m happy,” Oblak told Movistar. “I hope we continue like this, especially away from home. It was a great game from the whole team and a big effort.”

Real Betis pressed harder after the break, with Abde Ezzalzouli coming closest to scoring when his free-kick rattled the crossbar. However, Atletico’s defense held firm under pressure, maintaining composure to see out the victory.

Giuliano Simeone dedicated his goal celebration to his newborn nephew, Faustino, forming the letter “F” with his fingers. The baby’s arrival made Atletico’s long-serving coach Diego Simeone a grandfather — a milestone the Argentine greeted with good humor. “Nothing changes for me,” he said, smiling, while congratulating his son on his strong performance.

The result leaves Atletico eight points behind league leaders Real Madrid, the only team they have managed to defeat this season. Meanwhile, Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis remain sixth in the table, three points adrift of Atletico.

Reflecting on the loss, Betis playmaker Giovani Lo Celso admitted his side lacked precision in attack. “Today we were missing something in the final third,” he said. “We had to be sharper in front of goal. The team worked hard and tried until the end for our fans, who supported us in the rain. Now we have to turn the page and continue.”

Atletico will look to build on this performance as they aim to close the gap at the top and strengthen their push for Champions League qualification.