Atletico Madrid Win 2-1 at Alaves Despite Red Card Chaos and Late Scare
SportSignals Match Desk · Football analysis desk ·
Atletico Madrid came to Mendizorroza and did what good sides do. They won. It was not clean. It was not comfortable. But it is on the board, and that is all that matters. End of.
The Basics of a Result Business
Atletico arrived in decent nick. Four wins from their last five La Liga matches, including a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid and a 4-0 dismantling of Osasuna. That is the form of a side that knows how to compete. Alaves came in with two wins, one draw and two losses from their last five. Respectable enough at home, but nothing to frighten a side of Atletico's quality.
The thing is, form tables do not play the game. What happens on the pitch does. And on the pitch, Atletico were the better team for the vast majority of this match. The stats back that up. They had 68 percent of the ball. They had 22 shots to Alaves's eight. They put seven on target to Alaves's three. That is not a contest. That is a siege.
Grimaldo Opens the Scoring
Atletico took the lead on 33 minutes and it was deserved. Alejandro Grimaldo found the net with a right-foot shot, with Jonathan David involved in the build-up. Atletico were in control, moving the ball with purpose and stretching the Alaves shape. They had 10 corners across the full match and 19 key passes. Alaves managed four key passes. The difference in quality was obvious to anyone watching.
Listen, you do not need anything fancy to explain this. One team was on the front foot from the first whistle. The other was sitting deep and hoping. Alaves kept their heads above water through effort and some decent defensive work, picking up 15 interceptions to Atletico's 12 and winning 21 tackles. They competed. I will give them that.
First Half Madness and a Penalty for Alaves
Then came the chaos. In added time at the end of the first half, two Atletico players collected yellow cards in the space of a minute. Ademola Lookman went into the book for a foul on 45 minutes, and Robin Le Normand followed seconds later. The consequences were significant. Lookman was hauled off at half-time, replaced by Julián Álvarez. Le Normand made way for Dávid Hancko on 62 minutes.
Alaves were awarded a penalty in added time, converted by Lucas Boyé at the end of a chaotic first-half stoppage period. Suddenly it was 1-1 at the break. Alaves had pinched something they probably did not deserve, but you take what you can get.
The thing is, poor discipline at the top level costs you. Two yellow cards from fouls right before the whistle. That is not bad luck. That is a lack of accountability. Standards. Your job is to stay on the pitch and see out the half. Simple.
Alaves Reduced to Ten Men
The second half swung back Atletico's way in dramatic fashion. Alaves substitute Ángel Pérez saw a VAR check go against him. First a VAR review on 59 minutes, then a VAR card shown on 60 minutes, and then a straight red card on 61 minutes for a foul. Alaves were down to ten men before the hour was up.
Three subs followed for Alaves within three minutes. Mariano Díaz, Ander Guevara and Carlos Protesoni all came on at the 64-minute mark. Their hand had been forced. They were scrambling.
Atletico made changes too. Kang-in Lee came on for Pablo Barrios on 57 minutes. Julián Álvarez had already started the second half in place of Lookman. Sørloth entered on 73 minutes for Giuliano Simeone. Atletico were rotating but never losing control.
Romero Seals It Late
The winner came on 87 minutes. Cristian Romero got on the end of a move involving Álex Baena and drove a right-foot shot home. Atletico 2, Alaves 1. That was the game. Atletico had been the dominant side for the overwhelming majority of the 90 minutes. A late goal to seal it was fitting.
Alaves's goalkeeper had been kept busy throughout. Atletico registered seven shots on target. The Alaves keeper made five saves. Without those stops, the scoreline could have been uglier. That is the honest assessment.
What This Match Tells You
Atletico had 71 dangerous attacks to Alaves's 24. They produced 19 crosses, won 12 tackles and completed 643 passes at a 91 percent accuracy rate. Alaves completed 277 passes at 81 percent. The gap between the two sides in terms of quality of possession and creation was substantial.
But here is what I keep coming back to. Alaves were in this game. They equalised. They had a man sent off and still made Atletico work for it into the 87th minute. That tells you something about attitude and desire. They did not down tools after the red card. They kept competing. I can respect that even when the result goes against you.
The discipline problems on both sides were unacceptable at this level. Atletico gave away needless yellows at the end of the first half and lost key players for the second period. Alaves had a man sent off before the hour. Neither side handled the pressure of the moment well enough when it came to keeping eleven men on the pitch.
Verdict
Atletico Madrid were the better side and they got the result. Four wins from five in La Liga before this match and now five from six. They have the desire and the attitude of a side that refuses to accept anything less than three points. Even in a chaotic match, they found a way. That is what top sides do.
Atletico take the three points. Job done.
