Staff Reporter.
Luis Suarez scored two late goals as La Liga champions Atletico Madrid came from behind to beat neighbours Getafe.
Getafe’s first goal against Atleti since 2011 came when Stefan Mitrovic’s header hit the post and went in off goalkeeper Jan Oblak’s hand.
That was the first time they had netted in 20 meetings with Atletico since Diego Simeone took charge.
But Carles Alena was sent off for Getafe and Suarez then scored twice as the visitors stayed unbeaten.
First he controlled Mario Hermoso’s pass before getting the ball on his left foot and firing home the equaliser. In the last minute he headed in Sime Vrsaljko’s cross.
Suarez, who had only scored once in his previous six games, said: “Every player at the top level has to learn to live with criticism, but what I do is never give in. I’ll never get beat down by criticism.
“Above all I’m happy because of the circumstances of the game and that we managed to turn the scoreline on its head after.
“We still need to improve and solve a few things that we are not doing well, but things will improve because the season has barely started.”
Atletico are one point ahead of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand, at the top of La Liga.
Meanwhile When Joan Laporta was elected Barcelona president in March, one of the first things he did was make it abundantly clear that Ronald Koeman did not figure in his long-term plans.
Six months later, he suggested he was on the verge of extending the Dutch manager’s contract for a further year.
But six months and two weeks later, it now looks as if the only thing keeping Koeman in the job is the fact he would be due a huge pay-off. And that he is the focus of attention – useful to the board in a time of crisis.
What on earth could have occurred to bring about this lack of balanced thinking from Laporta?
Unsurprisingly, money has a lot to do with it, or in the case of Barcelona, the lack of it.
Let’s not mince our words here. Barcelona are skint, potless, brassic, broke. The finances dictate a lot of what is being decided.
But the situation is becoming so tense between the president and the manager that the club are looking for alternatives and, depending on the next few results, they might have to use a big chunk of their small savings to get rid of a manager who does not follow the official line because he feels betrayed.
Roberto Martinez, who wants to continue with Belgium at least until the end of the Nations League campaign, is one of the candidates to replace him.