Each line is generated from a finding that cleared its evidence bar; nothing here is a generic coaching point. The grey line says what it rests on; the button opens the sequences.
Copy the sides that escaped it: Villarreal got out 66% (long on 10%), Athletic Club got out 63% (long on 32%), Alaves got out 62% (long on 24%).
Average escape rate against them is 45%.
When you win it, go straight through the middle immediately.
41% of the xG they concede after losing the ball comes straight through the middle (22 attacks, 6 shots), against 28% of their own attacking xG through that channel.
Their most dangerous route: Jonathan David getting into the box with a carry from the centre. Double up on him there and show him away from goal.
13 times in the window, 85% end in a shot vs 42% for their other routes.
Avoid conceding corners; mark Dávid Hancko first.
30% of their corners end in a shot; first contacts: Dávid Hancko (10), Arnau Ortiz (2), Giuliano Simeone (2).
Where each player takes the ball in each phase of their possession, and who passes to whom. Event data has no off-ball positions, so this is the shape of their touches — the standard event-data proxy. A phase is defined by where the ball is, so the dots sit inside that phase's third (shaded): read the order and the width, not the depth of each line. Atletico attack left to right.
attacking → · shaded = the build-up zone
553 build-up phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the progression zone
881 progression phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the final third zone
628 final third phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
Tackles, interceptions, recoveries, blocks, challenges and fouls in the opponent's final 40%.
242 in the window. The press on a build-up = the first two rows: 34 (3.4 a match).
| source | times | share | per match | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| press: settled build-up taken off them | 33 | 14% | 3.3 | 18% | |
| press: their restart forced into an error before they settled | 1 | 0% | 0.1 | 0% | |
| counter-press: won straight back after losing it | 19 | 8% | 1.9 | 11% | |
| second ball: the opponent touched it but never controlled it | 189 | 78% | 18.9 | 26% | |
| ↳ rebound after their own shot (saved or blocked) | 24 | 10% | 2.4 | 54% | |
| ↳ their cross / ball into the box, cleared | 76 | 31% | 7.6 | 29% | |
| ↳ their long ball, only headed or touched away | 14 | 6% | 1.4 | 7% | |
| ↳ after their own throw-in / set piece | 16 | 7% | 1.6 | 0% | |
| ↳ loose ball in their combination play (pass blocked or tackled) | 59 | 24% | 5.9 | 22% |
| opponent was | share | league | rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| passing forward | 28% | 25% | 7 / 20 | |
| dribbling or a loose touch | 23% | 27% | 13 / 20 | |
| passing to a full-back | 19% | 16% | 6 / 20 | |
| going long | 12% | 10% | 8 / 20 | |
| passing to the keeper | 7% | 2% | 2 / 20 | |
| passing sideways | 5% | 6% | 11 / 20 | |
| passing back | 0% | 0% | 9 / 20 | |
| a loose ball | 0% | 0% | 1 / 20 | |
| taking a throw-in | 0% | 2% | 12 / 20 |
The opponents who went long most (47% of build-ups) got out 36% of the time; those who mostly played short (28% long) got out 52%. That is a lean, not proven at 20 matches (p=0.0774).
Best escapes: Villarreal 66%; Athletic Club 63%; Alaves 62%. One dot per match; hover for the opponent.
Most often started by Álex Baena (16), Giuliano Simeone (13), Pablo Barrios (12), Koke (10).
| lost in | losses | won back within 5s | led to a shot |
|---|---|---|---|
| own third | 50 | 40% | 10% |
| midfield | 218 | 31% | 3% |
| final third | 396 | 31% | 1% |
14.9 opponent attacks per match after winning the ball in open play that broke forward fast or reached the final third. Shading and % = share of the xG they produced, by the channel they used. Atletico's goal is on the left. Central attacks carry more xG for every team, so compare with Atletico's own attacking xG in the same kind of channel (centre, or the average flank): centre 41% conceded vs 28% own, left 31% conceded vs 36% own, right 27% conceded vs 36% own.
Every real turnover, named by the situation it came from. "Fast" = the side with the ball reached the final third within 10 seconds. Only real turnovers appear here: for everything the press wins high, including restarts it forced into an error, see "Every ball won in the opponent’s third" in the press section.
| type | times | share | fast | shot | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won high from a settled build-up (press) | 35 | 6%lg 5% | 43% | 17%lg 12% | 0.7 | |
| Won after their long possession (10+ passes) | 65 | 10%lg 12% | 14% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 | |
| Won straight back after losing it (counter-press) | 81 | 13%lg 11% | 43% | 9%lg 8% | 0.5 | |
| Won by stopping their counter | 24 | 4%lg 4% | 12% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 | |
| Won in midfield | 192 | 30%lg 24% | 39% | 9%lg 7% | 1.4 | |
| Won deep in own third | 212 | 33%lg 39% | 16% | 3%lg 3% | 0.8 | |
| Won from their set piece | 26 | 4%lg 5% | 23% | 15%lg 3% | 0.2 |
| type | times | share | opponent fast | shot against | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost in own build-up under pressure | 37 | 5%lg 5% | 32% | 5%lg 13% | 0.1 | |
| Lost after own long possession (10+ passes) | 125 | 17%lg 11% | 7% | 2%lg 4% | 0.1 | |
| Lost straight after winning it | 81 | 11%lg 12% | 36% | 6%lg 9% | 0.4 | |
| Lost during own counter | 22 | 3%lg 4% | 5% | 0%lg 3% | 0.0 | |
| Lost in midfield | 182 | 24%lg 25% | 30% | 3%lg 6% | 0.4 | |
| Lost in the final third (attack broke down) | 267 | 36%lg 38% | 10% | 3%lg 3% | 1.1 | |
| Lost from own set piece | 33 | 4%lg 5% | 15% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 |
Every controlled possession is typed by how it was played, and every real turnover (a possession that was established and then lost) by what the losing side was doing, how it lost the ball and what the winner did next. "Settled" = sustained or worked possessions; "unsettled" = short, second-ball, counter and direct possessions.
| type | times | share | ended in a shot | avg passes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 176 | 19%lg 13% | 20%lg 12% | 14.4 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 300 | 32%lg 27% | 11%lg 10% | 6.0 | |
| direct attack | 83 | 9%lg 13% | 1%lg 2% | 1.5 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 169 | 18%lg 23% | 4% | 1.7 |
| the side losing it was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 126 | 7% | 17% | 12% | 56% | 2% | 0.1 | pass cut out 85, long ball lost 17 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 233 | 18% | 12% | 8% | 53% | 4% | 1.0 | pass cut out 123, long ball lost 44 | |
| direct attack | 72 | 22% | 17% | 7% | 47% | 3% | 0.2 | long ball lost 42, pass cut out 25 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 141 | 33% | 9% | 4% | 50% | 5% | 0.6 | pass cut out 70, long ball lost 27 | |
| second-ball possession | 114 | 14% | 8% | 6% | 66% | 2% | 0.2 | pass cut out 70, bad touch 16 | |
| counter / fast transition | 28 | 11% | 4% | 4% | 71% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 16, bad touch 4 | |
| set piece | 33 | 15% | 6% | 3% | 58% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 18, long ball lost 8 |
| mechanism | times | share | led to a shot against | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pass cut out | 407 | 54%lg 48% | 3% | |
| long ball lost | 146 | 20%lg 23% | 2% | |
| bad touch | 91 | 12%lg 14% | 4% | |
| failed dribble | 55 | 7%lg 7% | 2% | |
| tackled / dispossessed | 44 | 6%lg 6% | 2% |
| the opponent was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 66 | 14% | 18% | 11% | 39% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 38, long ball lost 11 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 155 | 26% | 12% | 10% | 46% | 6% | 0.7 | pass cut out 80, long ball lost 35 | |
| direct attack | 100 | 33% | 20% | 7% | 30% | 5% | 0.5 | long ball lost 41, pass cut out 37 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 161 | 35% | 16% | 6% | 39% | 10% | 1.2 | pass cut out 74, long ball lost 31 | |
| second-ball possession | 90 | 26% | 14% | 8% | 42% | 9% | 0.8 | pass cut out 47, bad touch 17 | |
| counter / fast transition | 37 | 19% | 3% | 16% | 54% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 22, bad touch 7 | |
| set piece | 26 | 23% | 19% | 4% | 46% | 15% | 0.2 | pass cut out 14, long ball lost 8 |
Fast attack = their final third or box reached within 10s. Secured = kept 10s+ or 4+ passes. Lost straight back = controlled, then lost within 5s. Can’t keep it = won the ball but never got it under control (cleared it, headed it away, blocked it or lost it at once).
Each phase split into the situations it is made of, every row with its league median and clips. Shots are their own category: a possession that ends in a shot has finished, it has not lost the ball.
| type | times | share | got out | reached the box | lost in build-up | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| from the keeper / goal kick, played out short | 51 | 21%lg 18% | 78% | 31% | 18% | 12% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, went long (bypass) | 13 | 5%lg 12% | 46% | 15% | 54% | 8% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, stuck / recycled | 10 | 4% | 0% | 0% | 60% | 0% | |
| from the back line, played out short | 31 | 13%lg 10% | 61% | 32% | 35% | 13% | |
| from the back line, went long (bypass) | 5 | 2%lg 6% | 20% | 0% | 80% | 0% | |
| from the back line, stuck / recycled | 7 | 3% | 0% | 0% | 57% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, played out short | 19 | 8%lg 5% | 84% | 16% | 16% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, went long (bypass) | 9 | 4%lg 3% | 56% | 33% | 44% | 22% | |
| from a throw-in, stuck / recycled | 5 | 2% | 0% | 20% | 20% | 20% | |
| straight after winning it, played out short | 58 | 24%lg 16% | 76% | 28% | 21% | 10% | |
| straight after winning it, went long (bypass) | 15 | 6%lg 10% | 47% | 13% | 47% | 0% | |
| straight after winning it, stuck / recycled | 21 | 9% | 0% | 10% | 57% | 5% |
| outcome | times | share | opponent shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| won it high | 23 | 10%lg 9% | 0% | |
| forced long, then won it back | 71 | 32%lg 22% | 0% | |
| forced long, they kept it | 12 | 5%lg 5% | 17% | |
| they played through short | 62 | 28%lg 37% | 16% | |
| kept them stuck (recycled back) | 57 | 25%lg 26% | 0% |
Won high = the ball won in the opponent's own third. Forced long = the opponent left its third with a long ball (then either lost it in that possession, or kept it).
| created by | shots | share of open play | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 6 | 4%lg 9% | 1.0 | 0.17lg 0.11 | 2 | |
| cutback | 9 | 7%lg 7% | 1.0 | 0.11lg 0.10 | 0 | |
| through ball | 6 | 4%lg 4% | 0.9 | 0.15lg 0.25 | 2 | |
| short pass / combination | 88 | 65%lg 54% | 6.4 | 0.07lg 0.08 | 9 | |
| long ball | 7 | 5%lg 4% | 0.8 | 0.11lg 0.07 | 2 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 6 | 4%lg 12% | 0.3 | 0.04lg 0.09 | 0 | |
| rebound / second ball | 13 | 10%lg 8% | 1.5 | 0.12lg 0.08 | 1 | |
| corner (set piece) | 31 | – | 1.9 | 0.06 | 1 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 3 | – | 0.2 | 0.08 | 0 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 5 | – | 0.1 | 0.03 | 1 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 3 | – | 0.1 | 0.04 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 2 | – | 1.6 | 0.79 | 2 |
| created by | shots | share | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 4 | 6%lg 11% | 0.6 | 0.15 | 0 | |
| cutback | 4 | 6%lg 7% | 0.4 | 0.09 | 0 | |
| through ball | 3 | 4%lg 4% | 0.6 | 0.20 | 0 | |
| short pass / combination | 32 | 46%lg 55% | 2.3 | 0.07 | 2 | |
| long ball | 4 | 6%lg 5% | 0.2 | 0.05 | 0 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 9 | 13%lg 10% | 0.5 | 0.05 | 0 | |
| rebound / second ball | 13 | 19%lg 9% | 1.1 | 0.08 | 2 | |
| corner (set piece) | 13 | – | 1.1 | 0.08 | 0 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 14 | – | 1.1 | 0.08 | 1 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 2 | – | 0.0 | 0.02 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 3 | – | 2.4 | 0.79 | 3 |
| ending | shots | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| goal | 18 | 10%lg 9% | |
| keeper held it | 17 | 10%lg 11% | |
| keeper parried it | 23 | 13%lg 13% | |
| blocked | 55 | 31%lg 25% | |
| off target | 60 | 34%lg 40% | |
| hit the woodwork | 4 | 2% |
Penalties excluded. A "save" by an outfield player is a block.
After their keeper held a shot (8), median release 11s; league share turned into a fast attack 17%:
| their keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 1 | 12% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 1 | 12% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 6 | 75% |
After their own shot was held by the opponent keeper (17); league share broken against fast 18%:
| the opponent keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 1 | 6% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 3 | 18% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 13 | 76% |
Fast = the keeper's side reached its final third within 15s of the save. Quick = first pass within 6s.
The other half of each phase above. Their own phases break down when they lose the ball (real turnovers only); their press and block break down when the opponent gets through. Each card: how often, how, where, who is involved, and what it costs them.
142 balls lost in 553 build-up phases (26%)
giveaways per 10 build-up phases: 2.3/10 · league 2.7/10
What it costs: 30% turned into a fast attack · 54% the opponent can’t keep · 3% led to a shot · 0.2 xG
284 balls lost in 881 middle-third phases (32%)
giveaways per 10 middle-third phases: 2.9/10 · league 2.8/10
What it costs: 25% turned into a fast attack · 46% the opponent can’t keep · 5% led to a shot · 1.2 xG
297 balls lost in 628 final-third phases (47%)
deliveries into the box that fail to arrive: 42% · league 57%
What it costs: 7% turned into a fast attack · 64% the opponent can’t keep · 2% led to a shot · 0.7 xG
65 deliveries into the box did not arrive
28 of 52 counter-attacks lost (54%)
attacking transitions that produce a shot: 21% · league 17%
What it costs: 11% turned into a fast attack · 71% the opponent can’t keep · 0% led to a shot · 0.0 xG
52 counters: 16 ended in a shot, 28 were lost, 8 slowed down or went out
89 of 197 opponent build-ups got out (45%)
opponent build-ups that get out cleanly: 45% · league 50%
What it costs: 33% reached the final third · 12% led to a shot · 1.1 xG
Sides are their own: "down the left" = down their left.
89 box entries in 440 opponent final-third phases (20%)
opponent final-third phases that create: 39% · league 48%
What it costs: 44% led to a shot · 4.6 xG
Sides are their own.
33 set pieces lost in open play
What it costs: 15% turned into a fast attack · 58% the opponent can’t keep · 0% led to a shot · 0.0 xG
Their corners and free kicks that were lost in open play, and what the opponent did next.
Takers: Alejandro Grimaldo (22), Álex Baena (19), Koke (9)
First contact in the box: Dávid Hancko (10), Arnau Ortiz (2), Giuliano Simeone (2), Marc Pubill (2), Cristian Romero (2)
What each player does in the phases, counted over the window. Only lines that clear a minimum count are shown.
The comparison behind the report: each behaviour as a rate per opportunity, ranked among the 20 La Liga clubs' full seasons, with how many of the 10 matches sat on the same side of the league median. "Style" is never a verdict.
| behaviour | Atletico | league median | rank | matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style | one two wall pass per 100 build up phases | 2.7/100 | 1.1/100 | 1 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| strength | lost balls the opponent can't keep | 55% | 49% | 1 / 20 | 6/10 | |
| style | forward drop link per 100 progression phases | 3.1/100 | 1.2/100 | 1 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| style | forward drop link per 100 build up phases | 5.8/100 | 2.4/100 | 2 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| strength | balls they won but can't keep (cleared, blocked, lost loose) | 41% | 48% | 20 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| strength | opponent final-third phases that created | 39% | 48% | 20 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| strength | opponent build-ups forced long and won back | 32% | 22% | 1 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | run in behind per 100 final third phases | 9.6/100 | 5.9/100 | 1 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| style | build-ups straight after a regain played out short | 24% | 16% | 1 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| strength | phases with nobody in control (contested) | 16% | 22% | 20 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| style | box entries with a short pass | 34% | 22% | 1 / 20 | 9/10 | |
| style | layoff per 100 progression phases | 1.7/100 | 0.8/100 | 1 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| strength | giveaways regained within 5s (counter-press) | 32% | 26% | 2 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| style | third man combination per 100 build up phases | 26.4/100 | 17.6/100 | 1 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| style | third man combination per 100 final third phases | 22.0/100 | 14.7/100 | 1 / 20 | 7/10 | |
| style | final-third entries through the centre | 19% | 12% | 1 / 20 | 8/10 | |
| strength | final-third giveaways regained within 5s | 31% | 23% | 1 / 20 | 6/10 | |
| style | build-ups from the back line going long | 2% | 6% | 20 / 20 | 10/10 |
| phase | route | times | shot | their average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final third | ST gets it into the box with a carry from the centre | 13 | 85% | 42% |
| split | behaviour | a | b | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| when leading vs when level | chance-creation phases that produced a shot | 51% | 34% | 0.0066 | |
| when leading vs when level | middle-third phases that progressed into the final third | 68% | 79% | 0.0432 | |
| when trailing vs when level | giveaways regained within 5s (counter-press) | 43% | 29% | 0.0479 | |
| second half vs first half | final-third entries through the centre | 25% | 14% | 0.0199 | |
| second half vs first half | giveaways regained within 5s (counter-press) | 35% | 28% | 0.0328 | |
| second half vs first half | final-third entries by carrying it in | 21% | 12% | 0.0483 |
| date | opponent | result | npxG | opponent press | what happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-19 | vs Malaga | W 2-0 | 0.8–0.3 | mid-intensity press | Won 2-0, chances 0.83 v 0.28 xG. Malaga pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 16.8, league median 14.6) and went long on 58% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits down the left 60%, far above their usual 42%. |
| 2026-08-23 | vs Villarreal | D 2-2 | 1.0–1.3 | mid-intensity press | Drew 2-2 (1.05 v 1.26 xG). Villarreal pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 13.1, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: final-third entries by carrying it in 29%, far above their usual 16%. |
| 2026-08-29 | at Sevilla | W 3-1 | 0.9–1.2 | mid-intensity press | Won 3-1, chances 0.94 v 1.23 xG. Sevilla pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 12.7, league median 14.6) and went long on 78% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: giveaways that led to an opponent shot within 15s 7%, far above their usual 2%. |
| 2026-09-05 | at Athletic Club | L 0-3 | 1.0–1.2 | sat deep / passive | Lost 0-3 and the chances agreed (0.97 v 1.17 xG). Athletic Club defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 24.1, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: PPDA, strict (opponent passes in their own 60% per committed ball-winning action) 18.3, far above their usual 13.4. |
| 2026-09-13 | at Real Sociedad | W 3-0 | 1.1–0.4 | mid-intensity press | Won 3-0, chances 1.08 v 0.43 xG. Real Sociedad pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 14.1, league median 14.6) and went long on 50% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: PPDA, strict (opponent passes in their own 60% per committed ball-winning action) 19.6, far above their usual 13.4. |
| 2026-09-16 | vs Osasuna | W 4-0 | 3.0–0.4 | mid-intensity press | Won 4-0, chances 2.96 v 0.43 xG. Osasuna pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 13.6, league median 14.6) and went long on 64% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: counter-attacks 9.0/match, far above their usual 4.3/match. |
| 2026-09-20 | vs Real Madrid | W 2-1 | 1.3–0.4 | sat deep / passive | Won 2-1, chances 1.31 v 0.37 xG. Real Madrid defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 22.4, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: giveaways regained within 5s (counter-press) 52%, far above their usual 32%. |
| 2026-10-10 | at Alaves | W 2-1 | 2.0–0.4 | sat deep / passive | Won 2-1, chances 1.95 v 0.38 xG. Alaves defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 20.1, league median 14.6). Biggest departure from their norm: box entries with a cross 8%, far above their usual 3%. |
| 2026-10-17 | at Espanyol | W 1-0 | 1.3–0.6 | sat deep / passive | Won 1-0, chances 1.31 v 0.61 xG. Espanyol defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 27.4, league median 14.6) and went long on 58% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: middle-third phases that progressed into the final third 89%, far above their usual 76%. |
| 2026-10-24 | vs Deportivo | W 1-0 | 1.8–1.8 | sat deep / passive | Won 1-0, chances 1.75 v 1.76 xG. Deportivo defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 26.7, league median 14.6) and went long on 53% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: non-penalty xG conceded 1.76 xG, far above their usual 0.79 xG. |