Atletico Self-Destructed. Elche Made Them Pay.
Thiago Almada was sent off in the 30th minute. His own team were winning 2-1 at the time. That was the moment the game turned.
What followed was Elche doing what desperate teams do at home — they pushed, they set-pieced, they kept coming. Atletico, ten men, exhausted from a Copa del Rey final four days earlier, eventually cracked. André Silva scored twice. Elche won 3-2. The Martínez Valero erupted.
For a club one point from safety before kick-off, that is enormous.
Nico Lit It Up – Then Almada Ruined It
The opening was all Atletico. Nico González scored in the ninth minute — a slick move from his own half, a one-two with Mendoza, and a rising left-footed shot past Dituro. Clean. Clinical. Looked like the kind of goal that wins games.
Elche hit back almost immediately. David Affengruber poked in from an 18th-minute corner, a poorly-coordinated action that Oblak reacted to too late. Level.
Then Nico scored again. Straight from the restart after André Silva’s penalty equaliser — he headed the ball to himself twice, dinked it over Dituro, and headed it beyond the line before anyone could react. An extraordinary individual moment. Atletico 2-1.
But Almada’s red card on 30 minutes changed everything. He lost the ball in his own box under pressure from Affengruber, pulled him down, and referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernández had no hesitation. Penalty. Red.
André Silva stepped up and sent Oblak the wrong way. 2-2.
Ten Men Could Not Hold
Atletico played a full hour with ten men and kept Elche out longer than expected. Simeone reorganised. The visitors defended their shape. For a while, it worked.
It did not last. André Silva scored his second and Elche’s third after 75 minutes — Affengruber found him with a short cross from the second phase of a corner routine and he finished. Oblak had no chance.
Set-pieces were Atletico’s downfall all night. They looked disorganised at corners and crosses throughout. With their first-choice centre-backs Giménez and Hancko both out injured, and Le Normand and Lenglet starting, the aerial weakness was exposed time and again by Elche’s direct approach.
Oblak had a night to forget on a personal level too. He had already looked uncertain and lacking confidence before the goals went in. For a goalkeeper of his level, it was a rare below-par evening.
The Context Behind This Result
Atletico came into this game four days after losing the Copa del Rey final to Real Sociedad on penalties. Sørloth, Lookman, Giménez, Llorente, Koke, Ruggeri — all absent injured. Simeone made ten changes from the cup final starting eleven. The rotation was understandable. The result was a consequence.
The Champions League is what Atletico care about now. They are in the semi-finals against Arsenal. La Liga fourth place is secure with a comfortable gap. This defeat stings but it does not threaten anything meaningful for them in the remaining weeks.
For Elche, it is completely different. This is the biggest win of their season. Three goals at home against a club of Atletico’s size — it does not happen often. In 60 all-time meetings, Elche have beaten Atletico just 13 times. Wednesday was one of the most important of those victories.
Eder Sarabia’s side are now level on points with the team above them in 17th. Five games left. The relegation fight is alive.
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Elche 3-2 Atletico Madrid La Liga Round 33 | Wednesday, 22 April 2026 | Estadio Martínez Valero | Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández
Goals: Nico González 9′, 31′ (ATM) | David Affengruber 18′ (ELC) | André Silva 32′ pen, 75′ (ELC) Red Card: Thiago Almada 30′ (ATM)
Elche XI: Dituro | Sangaré, Affengruber, Pétrot, Valera | Morente, Villar, Febas, Neto | André Silva, Rafa Mir
Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak | Boñar, Le Normand, Lenglet, Julio Díaz | Mendoza, Cardoso, Obed Vargas, Nico González | Almada, Álex Baena Subs used: Griezmann, Barrios, Molina (all 62′)
Half-Time: Elche 2-2 Atletico Madrid Table: Elche move level with 17th place | Atletico remain 4th (57 pts)
