Audi Cup 2017 Final: The reward is more than just the trophy!

(Baonghean.vn) - Coach Simeone and his team have won the Audi Cup 2017 after defeating the team from England in the final match of the tournament.

Despite it being a final match, both coaches Simeone and Klopp fielded mostly reserve players from the start. This is understandable, as it was the last valuable opportunity for Atletico and Liverpool to assess their personnel and tactical approaches for the upcoming season.

On the English port city side, coach Klopp used his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation: young striker Solanke played as the lone forward, supported by the trio of Mane, Lallana, and Woodburn; the familiar central midfield pairing of Emre Can and Wijnaldum; the back four being Milner, Klavan, Gomes, and Flanagan; and young goalkeeper Ward guarding the goal.

Coutinho's absence is fueling rumors that he is preparing to move to Barcelona. Photo: Internet.

Meanwhile, Atletico took to the field in coach Simeone's preferred 4-4-2 formation: the Argentinian duo Correa and Vietto played highest up the pitch, followed by four midfielders Thomas, Kranevitter, Augusto, and Bare, with Vrsaljko, Gimenez, Lucas, and Sergi in defense, and goalkeeper Moya in goal.

In the opening minutes, both teams played erratically and lacked cohesion. Liverpool had a slight advantage in terms of possession. Klopp's Gegen-pressing style of play forced Atletico's players into a difficult defensive position. However, Simeone's team showed they were not an easy opponent to bully.

Despite Liverpool's relentless attack, the defense, under the command of experienced center-back Gimenez, remained unfazed. Every move from Mane and his teammates was easily neutralized. Goalkeeper Moya didn't have to do too much work thanks to the solidity and alertness of the players further up the field.

Statistics show that in the first 45 minutes of the match, Liverpool held possession for 65% compared to Atletico's 35%. However, the most important statistic was the complete opposite, as Atletico were the team to score the opening goal. Bare's goal in the 33rd minute was the result of a quick counter-attack, clearly demonstrating the tactical brilliance of coach Simeone.

That's Atletico for you; they don't play relentless attacking football, they concede possession to their opponents, but if the opponent is momentarily distracted, they will punish them with lightning-fast, sharp counter-attacks. By the time the opponent realizes it, the ball is already in the net. Liverpool is the latest victim to suffer the "counter-attack" from Simeone's team.

After the break, manager Klopp made several personnel changes. Firmino, Henderson, Robertson, Origi, and others were brought on to replace Milner, Solanke, Emre Can, Lallana, and others. This change helped Liverpool create more dangerous attacking opportunities. However, the players' poor finishing made Klopp visibly anxious on the sidelines.

Atletico players lifting the Audi Cup 2017 trophy. Photo: Internet.

Noticing his team's poor performance, coach Simeone immediately brought on Griezmann, Gabi, Flippe Luis, Torres, and others. However, the game didn't change much, and Liverpool continued to put pressure on goalkeeper Moya's goal. Inevitably, during a defensive move, central midfielder Gabi fouled Origi. From the penalty spot, substitute Firmino made no mistake to equalize the score.

For the remaining 10 minutes of the match, both Liverpool and Atletico played cautiously, waiting for the final whistle. Unable to settle the game in 90 minutes, the two teams had to go to a penalty shootout. Ultimately, Atletico emerged victorious, successfully converting all five of their penalties, while Liverpool only managed four (Henderson's penalty was saved by goalkeeper Moya). Thus, Coach Simeone's team won their first and only title of the summer of 2017.

Winning the Audi Cup this time will provide a boost of motivation and confidence for the Madrid team before entering the new season, which is expected to be extremely difficult and fierce. Although unable to strengthen their squad (due to a transfer ban), Atletico remains a formidable opponent for any team in La Liga and the Champions League with their current lineup. Meanwhile, despite missing out on the championship title, Klopp's team has still gained valuable lessons for their journey ahead.

Thanh Hung