Leganes End Atletico Madrid’s Record-Breaking Winning Streak

Antoine Griezmann missed a late penalty as La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Leganes on Saturday, halting their club-record run of 15 consecutive victories.

Matija Nastasic scored the decisive goal early in the second half, heading in from a corner, while Griezmann’s 90th-minute penalty miss sealed Atletico’s second league loss of the season.

Despite dominating much of the game, Diego Simeone’s side struggled to break through a resolute Leganes defence, leaving the door open for rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona to close the gap at the top of the table.

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Atletico came into the match riding high on their historic winning streak, but their energy and sharpness seemed lacking. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak acknowledged the team’s lacklustre performance, saying, “We didn’t get into the game well enough… unfortunately, the streak is over.”

Leganes End Atletico Madrid's Record-Breaking Winning Streak
LaLiga – Leganes v Atletico Madrid – Estadio Municipal de Butarque, Leganes, Spain – January 18, 2025 Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann reacts after missing a penalty kick REUTERS/Ana Beltran

Leganes, sitting in 15th place, frustrated Atletico throughout the first half, with Marko Dmitrovic making crucial saves to deny Griezmann and Julian Alvarez, both of whom also hit the woodwork.

Nastasic’s goal in the 48th minute gave the hosts the lead, and despite Atletico’s late surge, including the controversial penalty for a handball by Sergio Gonzalez, the visitors failed to equalise.

Griezmann, who had a chance to salvage a point, dragged his penalty wide, summing up Atletico’s off-night. Substitute Angel Correa had one final opportunity, but Dmitrovic bravely blocked his close-range effort to secure Leganes’ victory.

Leganes, who also defeated Barcelona in December, have proven themselves giant-killers this season. “There’s no secret; it’s all down to hard work,” said Dmitrovic. “What we did against Barca and Atletico, we have to repeat in other games.”

Atletico’s defeat gives Real Madrid an opportunity to reclaim top spot when they host Las Palmas on Sunday. Barcelona can also reduce the six-point gap to Atletico with a win at Getafe later on Saturday.

Simeone’s side will now turn their focus to the Champions League, where they face Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, needing a strong response to maintain their momentum in Europe.

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