Atletico loses at Cadiz ahead of Champions League test against Inter. Girona wins to reclaim 2nd
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Ahead of its midweek game against Inter Milan in the Champions League, Atletico Madrid flopped to a 2-0 loss at Cadiz on Saturday in the Spanish league.
Girona beat Osasuna 2-0 to reclaim second place from Barcelona.
Juanmi Jiménez scored twice to lead Cadiz’s victory. The forward, who joined Cadiz on loan this winter, scored in the 24th and 64th minutes.
Atletico hosts Inter on Wednesday, needing to overturn a 1-0 loss in Italy to advance to the quarterfinals of Europe’s elite competition.
Atletico's top player in attack, Antoine Griezmann, remained on the injured list with an ankle sprain.
Diego Simeone’s team has only won once in its last five games across all competitions. The loss at Cadiz left Atletico in fourth place in the domestic league.
“It is clear that with the game we played today we have absolutely nothing to say,” Simeone responded when asked after the game if he thought his team could overhaul the first-leg loss to Inter.
Cadiz ended a run of 23 consecutive rounds without a victory dating back to its last win in September. It is in 18th place in the relegation zone, but just two points from Celta Vigo in safety.
Juanmi put the hosts ahead when he headed in a cross after finding space between central defenders Mario Hermoso and Gabriel Paulista. Before his second goal Juanmi deftly nudged Paulita in the back when he was trying to intercept a ball before beating Jan Oblak.
The 30-year-old Juanmi played on loan from Real Betis at Saudi Arabian club Al-Riyadh for the first half of the season before Betis then loaned him to Cadiz at the end of the winter transfer window.
GIRONA WINS
Portu gave Girona the lead in the 13th from a pass by Viktor Tsygankov. Sávio put the result finally beyond doubt in the 86th when he stabbed in an exquisite back-heeled pass from Aleix García inside the area.
Girona moved a point ahead of Barcelona, which had overtaken Girona after beating Mallorca on Friday. Leader Real Madrid is four points ahead of Girona before hosting Celta on Sunday.
Former league leader Girona had struggled with three losses in its previous four games.
OTHER RESULTS
Real Sociedad got late goals from Robin Le Normand and André Silva in a 3-2 win at Granada.
Myrto Uzuni scored the two goals for Granada, which remained in 19th place and in serious danger of going straight back to the second division after earning promotion last season.
Valencia beat Getafe 1-0 thanks to a goal by Hugo Duro, who chipped in five minutes before halftime.
Duro ran to the dugout and displayed the shirt of teammate Mouctar Diakhaby, who seriously injured his right knee during last round’s game against Madrid.
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