Diego Simeone believes the influence of his Atletico Madrid substitutes proved crucial after his side snatched a late victory away to Getafe on Sunday. 

Simeone watched on as his team huffed and puffed before eventually finding a way past their hosts, with Domingos Duarte's 82nd-minute own goal sealing a 1-0 triumph. 

It was a result that extended Atletico's winning run in LaLiga to five matches, while also closing the gap to leaders Real Madrid to four points, after their city rivals left it late to salvage a point against Elche later in the day. 

But Simeone's side were made to work for their victory, having registered an expected goals (xG) total of 1.13 from their 13 attempts, to Getafe's 0.69 from nine shots. 

The Atletico boss was forced into an early substitution after Marcos Llorente hobbled off with an injury, with the experienced Antoine Griezmann coming on to replace him. 

And in search of a goal, Alexander Sorloth and Giacomo Raspadori were sent on in the 59th minute to add more firepower to Atletico's frontline, with their pressure eventually telling.

Indeed, it was Raspadori's first-time cross that saw Duarte turn the ball past David Soria and into the bottom-right corner, leaving Simeone thrilled not only with the Italian, but with all five of his alterations. 

"I have to highlight something about the team, it's the group, because obviously we're relying on the players who come on and understand how to get into the games," he said.

"It's happened many times, and I won't name names, but you already know who they are. The players who came on in previous games have scored goals.

"Thiago Almada, for example, didn't play today, but he's just come off the bench to score two goals. Today, Raspadori, who was doing a lot as I explained, came on and did very well.

"Sorloth, whether he plays or not, whether he starts or comes on in the second half, gives his all. I think these are all important things for everyone.

"Clement Lenglet hadn't played for quite a while and did very well, so, that makes me happy. That's the only way we can compete how we want to."

Duarte's blunder also meant Atletico have now scored in all 13 of their LaLiga matches in 2025-26 (25 goals in total), their longest scoring streak to start a campaign since 1978-79, when they found the back of the net 27 times. 

"It shows that the team is working very well, and we are competing as we want to, and luck, which is also part of this game, is on our side sometimes," Simeone said of the run. 

"Today, for example, we scored an own goal, and if we hadn't, you wouldn't be asking me all these questions, you'd be asking me others. Anyway, luckily, this match went well."

But for all of their talent in the final third, Atletico's defensive base has once again become a compact unit, with their display here earning their fifth league clean sheet of 2025-26, a total only Madrid and Villarreal can better, with six apiece.

Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso had a relatively trouble-free encounter, making just one save throughout, but the shutout put him among the very best to stand between the sticks for the LaLiga giants. 

Indeed, Musso has now kept a clean sheet in all three of his LaLiga matches, becoming the fifth goalkeeper this century to avoid conceding in his first three outings in the competition, after David Cobeno (2007), Antonio Adan (2011), Jan Oblak (2015) and Soria (2017). 

"Firstly, his name is absolutely integral to what the team needs and what the group asks of him, and he acts accordingly," Simeone said of Musso's display.

"The truth is that every time he has been called upon to play, he has shown why we have counted on him for this season and why we wanted him to stay with us.

"Hopefully, he will continue in this vein because we are going to need him, just as we need all the other lads."