Atlético Madrid were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at the Ciutat de València, once again finding Levante to be the opponent that stalls them at the worst possible time.
With the season reaching its decisive phase, the stalemate feels far more damaging than a single dropped point.
This is the moment when titles are won or lost, yet Atlético appear to be hitting their lowest ebb of the campaign.
The sense of crisis is growing, and with crucial clashes against Betis in the Copa del Rey and Club Brugge in the Champions League on the horizon, doubts are mounting over whether Diego Simeone’s side can recover quickly enough.
To make matters worse, injuries continue to pile up. Alexander Sørloth suffered a head wound while attempting to clear a dangerous cross, while Pablo Barrios and Marcos Llorente were both forced off early, seemingly with muscular problems.
Their availability for the upcoming Copa tie now hangs in the balance.
The match itself began with promise for the rojiblancos. Nico González tested Ryan early on, heading goalward from a Molina corner in just the second minute, only for the Levante goalkeeper to deny him.
Nico remained lively during the opening exchanges and was involved in several dangerous situations that could have altered the game’s direction.
However, Atlético’s early grip gradually loosened. The turning point arrived around the 20th minute when Clément Lenglet made a costly error, conceding a foul on the edge of the area and earning a yellow card.
Moments later, Sørloth had to be withdrawn after a heavy clash of heads while trying to prevent a Moreno header.
Julián Álvarez replaced him, meaning the Argentine missed out on the rest Simeone had planned. Despite Atlético’s attempts to respond, creativity dried up, with Nico’s shot into the side netting just before halftime summing up their frustrations.
A draw that feels like defeat
Levante emerged from the break with renewed energy and looked the more threatening side for long stretches of the second half.
Atlético’s plans were further disrupted by enforced changes: Lenglet was replaced by Hancko at halftime due to his booking, while Barrios and Llorente later followed, adding to Simeone’s growing concerns.
Julián Álvarez had opportunities to rescue the match but lacked his usual sharpness. His best effort came in the 68th minute, a header that Ryan pushed away, while a late chance in stoppage time was hit straight at the goalkeeper.
Levante came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 73rd minute when Dela unleashed a powerful effort that Oblak brilliantly kept out, preserving a point that could easily have slipped away.
That same minute also brought a rare positive note for Atlético, as Jano made his first-team debut, replacing Nico González—arguably the standout performer on the night.
Ultimately, Atlético looked short on ideas and cohesion. The draw felt like a loss, highlighting a worrying lack of connection between key players.
Figures such as Julián, Baena and Almada must raise their level if the team is to survive the decisive weeks ahead.
Now is the moment to respond.
