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What Conor Gallagher just did for Atletico Madrid that Spanish media think was ‘inexplicable’

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Former Chelsea player Conor Gallagher was on the receiving end of a heavy loss on Wednesday night.

Conor Gallagher‘s Atletico Madrid side were beaten 4-0 by Benfica in the Champions League.

Overall, it has been a good start to life at Atletico for Gallagher following his arrival from Chelsea. Diego Simeone’s men are yet to lose a game in La Liga, while the midfielder has managed to chip in with a couple of goals.

However, it is fair to say that the Spanish media were not impressed with his latest outing. Last month, Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly tipped Gallagher to reach another level at Atletico.

SL Benfica v Atletico de Madrid - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2
Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images

Former Chelsea player Conor Gallagher disappoints against Benfica

Spanish newspaper Marca did not mince their words when reviewing Gallagher’s performance against Benfica.

They gave him a match rating of four and described his display as “inexplicable” after he conceded a penalty. Marca gave the rest of Atletico’s team fours and fives, including Simeone, so Gallagher was not alone.

The 24-year-old and his teammates will be looking to bounce back when they face Real Sociedad on Sunday.

The same day, Gallagher’s former club Chelsea host Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge. The mood at Cobham is good right now, with journalist Fabrizio Romano claiming that Enzo Maresca is getting along well with his players.

Conor Gallagher’s stats at Atletico Madrid

Again, while Gallagher did not have his best game on Wednesday night, he has done well at Atletico overall.

On WhoScored, Gallagher is actually the highest-rated player in Simeone’s squad. According to the same website, the Englishman is also making the most tackles (2.7) and third-most interceptions (1.2) per league game.

Chelsea fans will not be too surprised to hear that after watching him last season. The England international still arguably had something to offer, but Gallagher was open to a new challenge, while the Blues were keen to sell a player who had entered the final year of his contract.