Atlético Madrid survived a tense encounter at Deportivo Alavés to claim a 2-1 victory on Saturday, moving to 19 points and consolidating their position in second place. Diego Simeone's side weathered an early deficit and capitalised on a red card to secure three crucial La Liga points in the eighth round of fixtures.
The visitors dominated possession early on, and their control yielded an impressive opening goal in the 33rd minute. A slick interchange between Alejandro Grimaldo and Lookman carved open the Alavés defence. The Nigerian winger's intelligent movement and first-time finish between goalkeeper Sivera's legs left the hosts searching for answers. Yet Atlético's lead evaporated just before half-time when Axel Le Normand lost discipline at a corner, wrapping his arms around Toni Martínez. Referee Quintero González awarded a penalty without hesitation, and VAR confirmed the decision. Lucas Boyé levelled from the spot, restoring parity and setting up a tense second half.
Álvarez Changes the Dynamic
Everything shifted after the interval when Simeone introduced Julián Álvarez and Baena from the bench. The Argentine forward immediately made an impact, drawing a brutal ankle challenge from Ángel Pérez that earned the Alavés defender a straight red card in the 61st minute. With the numerical advantage firmly established, Atlético pressed harder, though the decisive breakthrough remained elusive until the 86th minute.
Baena orchestrated the winning moment with a moment of technical brilliance, whipping a precise cross with the outside of his boot to the far post. Cuti Romero rose unmarked to head past Sivera and secure three points for the visitors. The late winner typified Atlético's resilience—they trailed on the scoreboard yet refused to panic, turning adversity into advantage once their numerical superiority took hold. Alavés remain stuck on 11 points in sixth place, while Atlético sit just one point behind Real Madrid atop La Liga's standings heading into next weekend's fixtures.
