Atlético de Madrid found the decisive touch late on under the lights, beating Deportivo Alavés 2-1 to preserve second place in La Liga and build momentum before Manchester United arrive in the Champions League.
Grimaldo gives Atlético a deserved first-half lead
Atlético returned to action with control of the ball and increasing authority after an even opening spell. Alavés had early threatening moments through Ángel Pérez and Nahuel Tenaglia, but Quique Sánchez Flores’ side gradually sank deeper as the home pressure grew.
- Marcos Llorente came close to breaking the deadlock in the 19th minute.
- Atlético finally went ahead on 33 minutes when Alejandro Grimaldo finished a move created by Jonathan David, the former Lille forward.
- Lucas Boyé levelled for Alavés from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time after Robin Le Normand committed the foul.
The equaliser, scored in the sixth added minute before the interval, changed the mood briefly. Atlético had dominated for long spells, yet went into the break with the score at 1-1.
Red card shifts the contest back towards Madrid
Diego Simeone turned to Julián Álvarez at half-time, and the substitute quickly became central to the second-half story. Ángel Pérez was dismissed in the 61st minute for a late challenge on the Argentine forward.
With Alavés reduced to 10 men, Atlético regained territorial control and continued to press for a winner. The breakthrough did not come until the closing minutes, but it arrived through a sharply executed aerial move.
- Álex Baena delivered the cross in the 87th minute.
- Cristian Romero met it with a header to put Atlético 2-1 ahead.
- Atlético held on to complete their victory in the eighth round of the Spanish league season.
Champions League test now awaits
The win leaves Atlético second in the championship and gives Simeone’s team a positive result before Tuesday night’s Champions League fixture against Manchester United. United will visit Madrid on 13 October, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00.
For Alavés, the defeat came after a resilient first-half response but leaves the Basque club sixth before the remaining matches of the eighth-round programme are played.
