A win at Mendizorroza, a bogey ground

Atlético won 2-1 at Mendizorroza. Grimaldo put them ahead on 33, finishing with his left foot from Jonathan David's pass. Right at the end of the first half Le Normand gave away a penalty, Boyé scored it on 45+6, and it was 1-1 at the break. On 61, the yellow card Ángel Pérez had been shown for a foul on Julián Álvarez was changed to a straight red after VAR intervened. The winner came on 87, when Romero headed in Baena's cross.

The main thing is that they won at a bogey ground. Atlético's previous league win here was on 3 January 2021, when Luis Suárez scored on 90, and the four games here since had brought two draws and two defeats. After the game Simeone said: "I don't remember games won here comfortably." They were the better side in the run of play as well, with 68% possession and 22 shots to eight. That makes four league wins in a row, and Atlético are second on 19 points, five behind Barcelona, who have won all eight.

Le Normand is up and down and hard to rely on

The penalty right at the end of the first half was unnecessary. On 45 Lookman was booked for a foul that gave Alavés a free-kick, and as that ball came in, Le Normand grabbed Toni Martínez and pulled him down, conceding a penalty and picking up a yellow card. On FotMob's numbers, Alavés's xG excluding the penalty was only 0.51. Against a side creating that little, Atlético gave a goal away themselves.

This season Le Normand has been up and down and hard to rely on. He has given away a penalty in two of his four league starts. Against Villarreal on 23 August he pushed Mikautadze from behind, conceding a penalty and getting a straight red, and Villarreal went from 1-1 to 1-2 up. He was suspended for the following game, against Sevilla. Then again, against Osasuna on 16 September he got on the scoresheet himself and FotMob rated him 8.4.

Simeone said referees have their eye on Le Normand's style of play, and went on: "There is always holding, and there will go on being holding." He accepted that it was a penalty. If referees do have their eye on him, as Simeone says, that is all the more reason not to grab an opponent in the box. It was a careless penalty. Le Normand was replaced by Hancko on 62.

What broke down a side sitting deep was a cross of a different class from Baena

Alavés coach Quique Sánchez Flores explained that after the red card they switched to a 4-4-1: "Once we're in a 4-4-1, on top of that they use their dominance to send Cuti up, they send Hancko. They put a tremendous number of players into the box against us, loads of them." Simeone said: "With the sending-off it became even more difficult, because the opposition drop deeper. It looks easier because they have one fewer, but the opposition raise their concentration and you need to find the spaces." Atlético kept them pinned back, but the goal was slow to come.

The winner came from a cross that Baena, on at half-time, hit with the outside of his foot. It was a cross of the highest quality. To score against a side that has had a man sent off and is sitting deep, you need a moment of this standard, one that is a class apart. Romero, a centre-back, headed it in for his first goal for Atlético. Grimaldo, who scored the opener, is a left-back, so both goals came from defenders. It was Grimaldo's third goal of the season in all competitions, and he has now scored in two games in a row.

Julián is getting better, but it is about time he scored

Julián came on for Lookman at half-time, and his play is getting better. On 59 he was fouled by Ángel Pérez and drew the sending-off, and his free-kick on 62 hit the post. He still has no goals this season, though: none in five games and 218 minutes in all competitions, and his last goal for Atlético was a penalty against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final on 29 April. If his numbers are not going to end up ordinary, it is about time he scored.

Next up is Manchester United at the Metropolitano in the Champions League on Tuesday the 13th, kicking off at 21:00 CEST. On Saturday the 17th Atlético are away to Espanyol in the league.

Ratings

Starters

PlayerItCFotMobNotes
Oblak76.7Made two saves. Boyé put the penalty past him down the middle.
Llorente78.1Completed 89 of 91 passes at right-back. His shot on 66 was saved by Sivera.
Romero88.7Headed in Baena's cross on 87, his first goal for Atlético.
Le Normand16.3Grabbed Toni Martínez and pulled him down right at the end of the first half, giving away a penalty. Replaced on 62.
Grimaldo98.9Opened the scoring left-footed on 33 from David's pass. Created five chances.
Cardoso78Played the full 90 alongside Koke at the base of midfield. Booked late on.
Koke88.6134 touches, and completed 113 of 122 passes.
Barrios67Back in the starting line-up after missing three games, he played in the No 10 role until 57.
Giuliano77.6Worked at both ends on the right and was replaced on 73.
Lookman56.1Booked on 45. None of his four dribbles came off, and he was taken off at half-time.
David77.1Set up Grimaldo's opener. Taken off at half-time.

Substitutes

PlayerItCFotMobNotes
Baena77.8On from half-time. On 87 his cross with the outside of the foot set up Romero's winner.
Álvarez6.56.7On from half-time. Drew Ángel Pérez's sending-off, and his free-kick on 62 hit the post.
Kang-in Lee6.57.2On from 57. Created three chances.
Hancko76.6Replaced Le Normand at centre-back on 62.
Sørloth66On from 73 for his first appearance of the season. His header shortly afterwards was blocked.

ItC ratings via Into the Calderón; FotMob ratings via FotMob.