Atletico Madrid twice fought back from behind to earn a point in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Villarreal in their LaLiga season opener on Monday.
2024/2025 La Liga
2-2
Match Report
Forward Arnaut Danjuma gave the hosts an 18th-minute lead but Atletico hit back within two minutes as Marcos Llorente capped a lightning counterattack.
Diego Simeone's team fell behind for the second time when Jan Oblak failed to claim a deep cross in the 37th minute, with the ball deflecting off the back of captain Koke and into the net.
But forward Alexander Sorloth, making his Atletico debut following an outstanding 2023-24 season with Villarreal, came back to haunt the Yellow Submarine with a second equaliser.
Sorloth, who finished one goal shy of LaLiga's Golden Boot winner Artem Dovbyk last term, scored with a towering header six minutes into first-half stoppage time, with a quieter second half passing without further incident.
Data Debrief: Sorloth stands alone
Despite a trip to his former club representing a tricky first Atleti outing for Sorloth, he picked up where he left off in a brilliant 2023-24 campaign.
His goal was his 18th in LaLiga in 2024, more than any other player has scored in one of Europe's top five leagues, with Jonathan David and Harry Kane in joint-second with 15 apiece.
18 - @atletienglish striker Alexander Sørloth 🇳🇴 has scored 18 goals in @LaLigaEn in 2024, more than any other player among Europe's top five leagues:
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) August 19, 2024
15 - Jonathan David & Harry Kane.
14 - Erling Haaland, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Cole Palmer & Phil Foden.
Killer. pic.twitter.com/gB1RDXAw3g
Atleti's attack will be further boosted when former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez gets up to speed.
He was limited to a 17-minute substitute appearance on Monday, only completing two passes and committing two fouls in a quiet outing.
Line-ups
Villarreal XI: Albiol, Parejo, Femenia, G. Moreno, Bailly, Santi Comesaña, Arnaut Danjuma, Álex Baena, Diego Conde, Yeremy, Sergi Cardona
Subs: Ayoze Perez, Pepe, Pape Gueye, Iker Álvarez, Arnau Solà, Ramón Terrats, Ilias Akhomach, Willy Kambwala, Pau Navarro
Atletico XI: Witsel, Azpilicueta, Oblak, Griezmann, Koke, Alexander Sørloth, Reinildo Mandava, Llorente, Robin Le Normand, Samuel Lino, Pablo Barrios
Subs: De Paul, Gimenez, Correa, Javi Galán, Nahuel Molina, Horațiu Moldovan, Julián Alvarez, Riquelme, Giuliano Simeone, Ilias Kostis, Antonio Gomis, Arthur Vermeeren