A headed goal from Cristian Romero three minutes from time gave Atletico Madrid a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Estadio de Mendizorroza on Saturday. Alaves had equalized from the penalty spot on the stroke of halftime through Lucas Boyé, briefly threatening to deny Diego Simeone’s side, but a man-advantage after Angel Pérez’s red card in the 61st minute tilted the game decisively toward the visitors. Atletico move to 19 points after eight games, sitting second in La Liga behind Barcelona.
Key Moments
- 33′, Álex Grimaldo opens the scoring for Atletico Madrid, converting after a pass from David to give the visitors the lead.
- 45′, Lucas Boyé levels from the penalty spot for Alaves just before halftime, making it 1-1 at the break.
- 45′, Atletico make two forced changes at halftime: David and Lookman, both booked in first-half stoppage time, are withdrawn for Álex Baena and Álvarez.
- 61′, Angel Pérez is shown a straight red card for a serious foul, leaving Alaves down to ten men for the final half-hour.
- 87′, Cristian Romero heads home from a cross by Álex Baena to win it for Atletico Madrid late on.
Tactical Breakdown
Atletico controlled possession from start to finish, finishing with 68% of the ball, 22 shots and an xG of 2.14 against Alaves’s 1.13. Simeone set up in a 4-4-2, with Grimaldo bombing forward from left back and David providing the creativity before his halftime exit. The hosts, compact in a 3-5-2, made life uncomfortable in the first half and were unfortunate to be trailing before earning the penalty that restored parity.
The halftime double substitution was a turning point in itself. With Lookman and David both picking up yellow cards in added time and facing suspension risk, Simeone replaced them immediately at the break. Álex Baena, introduced for the second half, went on to register the assist for the winner. The dismissal of Angel Pérez in the 61st minute then removed any realistic hope Alaves had of holding on, and Simeone continued rotating, bringing on Lee Kang-In at 57 minutes and Alexander Sørloth at 73, keeping legs fresh as Alaves tired.
For Alaves, the match illustrated the cost of indiscipline. The red card was the decisive moment; before it, Sivera had made five saves to keep the hosts in the game against a side that had already started to dominate territory. With ten men, the hosts had no answer to Atletico’s relentless ball movement and set-piece threat, and Romero duly punished them from a corner delivery.
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Verdict
Atletico Madrid remain second in La Liga with 19 points from eight games, two behind Barcelona, who have played one fewer fixture. The win extends their winning run to four games after their only league defeat of the season, and Diego Simeone will be encouraged by his squad’s depth, with substitutes Álex Baena and Sørloth both contributing in the second half. Alaves, on 11 points in sixth, face the challenge of arresting a run of three defeats in four games.