Atletico Madrid eek out nervy win over struggling Alaves

Atletico Madrid 1-0 Alaves

Between them, Atletico Madrid and Alaves had simply three wins between them of their final 10 La Liga outings, considerably nullifying good runs earlier than December. The truth is, each groups seemed like sides removed from their greatest.

Beginning off at a reasonably nice tempo, Atletico spent the opening quarter-hour within the Alaves half, with Thiago Almada and Pablo Barrios discovering pockets of area in midfield – an early Giuliano Simeone stinger put Antonio Sivera to the check down low. Maybe the sport was extra vital for Almada than anybody else within the Atletico aspect, spending the week being linked to an exit. If he’s annoyed by that, it has not been hidden from the press.

🚨 TODAY’S XI – ALMADA STARTS! pic.twitter.com/xOW2Let60o

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) January 18, 2026

The murmurs started to unfold in the direction of the half hour mark although, as Alaves expertly took the sting out of the Metropolitano, interrupting Atletico’s strikes simply earlier than the chance to play the ultimate cross appeared. Even when their very own sequences of play have been short-lived and usually afforded them little territory, Atletico have been normally required to start out from scratch once they did get the ball again.

With the Metropolitano more and more tetchy, Carlos Vicente picked out Jon Guridi on the far put up with Alaves’ greatest transfer of the sport in stoppage time, however the Basque midfielder was a number of inches in need of a correct connection. Virtually in fee for the chance, Los Babazorros allowed Atletico a ultimate counter-attack earlier than the break, with Almada denied twice, and Giuliano Simeone a 3rd time by heroic blocks within the six-yard field. Simeone junior, by far essentially the most spectacular of Atletico’s first half, had finished his utmost to pull Atletico into the lead.

Threat-averse Atletico grind by

Therefore why it was doubtless a substantial aid for Diego Simeone that Atletico started to search out the openings that had been so laborious to return by within the first 5 minutes of the second interval. Giuliano fired a ball throughout the six-yard field that Alexander Sorloth was a cut up second late to. Extra to his style, a minute later, Barrios lofted a ball from the suitable onto the penalty spot, the place Sorloth leapt majesticly, and put all the ability on an correct header that kissed the within of the put up to offer Atletico the lead.

With Atletico now not needing to pursue the opener, successful the ball again excessive up immediately meant a comparatively honest battle, as Chacho Coudet left extra gamers up subject. That was the case simply earlier than the hour-mark, when Barrios nicked the ball again, drove in the direction of the D of the field previous two gamers, and slipped it left to Almada. On his weaker left foot, he couldn’t discover a candy reference to the ball, Sivera firmly behind his shot. That turned out to be his final kick of the sport, as Simeone eliminated him in favour of Alex Baena. Julian Alvarez too, who was sloppy on the ball, taken off once more on the hour-mark for Antoine Griezmann. His look ahead to a Liga purpose, relationship again 9 video games to the primary of November, drags on.

Coudet had made 4 modifications of his personal earlier than the 70-minute mark, doing his greatest to change the sample of the sport, however Baena drove inside and cracked the put up with a curling, postcard effort as an alternative. To Coudet’s credit score, these modifications did briefly work, with a spell of possession in Atletico’s half, albeit with out penetration, in a job reversal of the primary interval.

😮‍💨#LaLigaHighlights https://t.co/e23SMO1Jy4 pic.twitter.com/DTBaGKtVGa

— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) January 18, 2026

As the sport opened up, Atletico closed themselves off. Again and again Los Colchoneros handed up probabilities to play a slicing cross. The message from Simeone was clear, with Robin Le Normand and Nahuel Molina on for Johnny Cardoso and Sorloth – we maintain what now we have.

The Metropolitano have been much less eager on that method, and had Lucas Boye linked cleanly with a header from 5 yards out, with the purpose gaping, the odd irritated whistle would have turn into a waterfall.

Simeone will argue his method secured the specified outcome, however the efficiency did little to dispel the concept that Atletico will battle to compete for greater than third place this season. In his 700th recreation in cost, it was victory over all else. That can be little comfort for Alaves, who slip into the relegation zone for the primary time this season. Coudet’s aspect carried out properly till the purpose, at which level they have been penalised for his or her dramatic lack of leading edge going ahead.