Leganes draw adds to Atletico’s woes as Celta hold Eibar

Atletico Madrid was held to a 0-0 draw at home by relegation-threatened Leganes in the Spanish League on Sunday, adding to the run of poor results by Diego Simeone’s team.

Elsewhere, Celta Vigo drew 0-0 with Eibar and remained in the drop zone just ahead of Leganes.

Leganes ended the match with 10 men after goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar was sent off near the end of injury time with a second yellow card after wasting time in an incident with a ballboy. The visitors finished with defender Jonathan Silva in goal because his side had made all three substitutions. He did not have to make a save.

Atletico never seriously threatened its modest crosstown rival at its Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in a match it needed to win to reclaim third place from Sevilla and stay in touch with Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Atletico was left seven points adrift of the two frontrunners before Madrid visits Valladolid later. Barcelona lost 2-0 at Valencia on Saturday.

Atletico has now gone four matches without a win in all competitions. The draw came three days after Atletico was eliminated by third-division club Cultural Leonesa in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey. Before that it lost 2-0 at Eibar in the league and lost in a penalty shootout to Madrid in the final of the Spanish Super Cup.

For many Atletico supporters, this is the worst the team has played since Simeone transformed it into a title winner on arrival in 2013.

“When the results are not coming, it is normal that our fans get angry, and that makes us take responsibility for the situation. We have to take action,” Simeone said. “I can’t say anything to our fans. We have to show them with our deeds and not with our words. Words are carried away by the wind.”

Goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved Atletico from falling behind early when he blocked shots by Leganes’ Kevin Rodrígues and Martin Braithwaite in the opening minutes.

Angel Correa and Alavaro Morata had the best chances for Atletico, but Correa fired high before Cuellar had little trouble saving Morata’s header in the 37th.

The hosts did little more in the second half to put pressure on a side that has improved since Javier Aguirre took over in November. Leganes has only lost one of its last six league matches.

Aguirre, whose coaching career included time at Atletico from 2006 to 2009, defended Simeone.

“He has given the club everything, titles, the Champions League (finals), a good youth team, money … he marks a before and after for the club, and you can’t judge him for (a few) results. He is above that and an example to follow after so many years on the bench.”

Cuellar was sent off with about a minute to play in stoppage time with a second yellow card that the referee said was due to his attempt to “simulate aggression by a ballboy.”

Televised images showed Cuellar tumbling backward when a ballboy had seemed to push him with one hand on the chest while the keeper was getting the ball from him.

Cuellar was confronted by several Atletico players, leading to arguments between players from both teams, as he took his time leaving the field.

Associated Press