Julián scores and apologises as Atlético make it six league wins in a row

Atlético looked like a completely different team in the second half

Atlético beat Deportivo 1-0 at the Metropolitano. On 48 minutes Julián Álvarez turned in Grimaldo's low cross in front of goal, and they held on to that one goal until the end. That makes six wins in a row in La Liga, and on 25 points they are provisionally second.

The first half was not good. Deportivo's press pushed them back, they gave the ball away cheaply, and of their seven shots not one was on target. Around the half-hour mark there were whistles from the stands, and at half-time the players went off to whistles from every part of the ground except the ends behind the goals. On 27 minutes Deportivo had a close-range shot from the loose ball after a free-kick, but Oblak kept it out.

The two changes at half-time turned the game. Le Normand came on for Lookman and Giuliano for Barrios, and in the second half Atlético had 13 shots, four of them on target. Between the 46th and 87th minutes Deportivo managed only two shots. Atlético were pinned back in the last few minutes, and on 90+5 Kevin Sánchez had a shot from the left of the six-yard box. That one also came straight at Oblak, who stopped it, and Atlético finally got the win over the line.

Julián's apology is a step forward

After the game Julián opened his TV interview with "First I wanted to say a few words" and apologised to the fans: "I wanted to apologise to our people for my words during the World Cup. They were a mistake on my part, both in the way I said them and in the timing, and above all because I understand people's anger. As a fan I would have been angry too, and even more so given how they have stood by me all this time." Since saying during the World Cup that he wanted to move, he had been whistled again and again at the Metropolitano, and there were whistles when the team was read out on this day too. Even so, when he scored on 48, most of the crowd answered the stadium announcer with "Álvarez!"

It was his first La Liga goal at home for 357 days, since the game against Sevilla on 1 November 2025. It was also the first time he had scored at home since his comments during the World Cup. In this season's La Liga he had only come off the bench until now, so this was his first start, and he played the full 90.

The rest of his game was good too. He had several effective moments, moving the ball on between the lines and keeping hold of it with his dribbling. He completed four of his six dribbles and created five chances. On 71 he tried to lift the ball over the goalkeeper on the counter, but Leo Román saved it.

Simeone also praised the apology in his press conference, saying: "We need Julián Álvarez like this." Saying sorry was a step forward, and plenty of fans are likely to take it positively. But even if he is accepted as a player, being accepted as the team's star from here on is something he will have to earn, quite literally, with what he achieves on the pitch.

Baena is doing well on the left of the attack

The half-time changes also reshaped the side a lot. Pubill moved from centre-back to right-back, Giuliano came in on the right and Kang-in Lee moved up a line. In the second half Baena switched to the left.

Kang-in Lee and Lookman were not able to shine much. Lookman, who came off at half-time, is quite a difficult player to find the right position for. On the left of the attack Baena is currently doing a better job, and the impression was that things worked better once the personnel changed. Baena himself lost the ball a lot in the first half, but he picked up after moving to the left in the second, and the goal on 48 came from the ball going from Baena to Grimaldo.

In the first half Lee played something like a right wing-back role, and there were several spells when he dropped all the way into the back line to defend. A role like that probably only works with outstanding stamina, so it was hard to say whether it was right for him. His two shots in quick succession, on 37 and 38, both went over the bar. In the second half he moved up a line, and he was replaced by Sørloth on 67.

Hoping Pubill and Barrios bounce back

Marc Pubill, whose form has been called poor lately, was unsteady at centre-back in the first half. He gave the ball away at times and was booked on 26. After moving to right-back in the second half he improved. Opinion in Spain was split as well. Marca gave him a 4 and called him "a poor shadow of what he was last season". AS pointed out that he completed all 45 of his passes in the first half.

Pablo Barrios also made mistakes with his passing and on the ball, which is unusual for him, and he came off at half-time.

Both are young players. Pubill in particular joined last season as a full-back, made his name at centre-back and has been praised throughout. It would be good to see them come through this rough patch properly too.

Three man of the match contenders, and Levante next

The man of the match contenders look like being Julián, who scored the winner; Grimaldo, whose knee injury on 33 held up play but who kept going to the end and provided the decisive assist; and Oblak, who dealt with the danger on 27 and 90+5 to keep a clean sheet.

Next up is Levante away on 31 October. After that come two big games at home: Bayern in the Champions League on 3 November and Barcelona in La Liga on 8 November.

Ratings

Starters

Substitutes

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