Atlético de Madrid was defeated in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Real Madrid, but they remain alive for the return match. It was a very even match in which the red-and-whites managed to dominate possession, although they lacked more attempts on Thibaut Courtois's goal. Once again, the star of the team was Julián Alvarez, who scored again at Santiago Bernabéu with a truly spectacular goal.
The Argentine forward once again carried the team on his shoulders in a difficult setting, appearing in all areas and being the reference in the offensive zone. He continues to increase his numbers and is expected to show his best version again next week given the need to overturn the result. Meanwhile, Antoine Griezmann was more subdued, being substituted in the second half and seeming to be below what is necessary.
Atlético de Madrid Takes Care of Its Star
Despite what was said, it is never easy to visit Real Madrid, even less so if you do it in a Champions League knockout stage. The locals took the lead quickly thanks to a great goal by Rodrygo, but Julián Alvarez would equalize the score with one of the best goals of the year. He recovered a ball on the left wing and placed an impossible shot for Courtois to the far post, giving hope to the red-and-whites.
In fact, until Brahim's next goal, the red-and-whites were very comfortable on the field and did not suffer chances on their goal. It was after the second goal by the Madridists that Simeone changed the formation and prioritized staying alive for a return match that promises to be exciting. With yesterday's match, Julian Alvarez reaches 22 goals this season, marking his best record in Europe and surpassing great scorers like Luis Suárez.
Antoine Griezmann Needs to Improve
A positive note is the Frenchman, who did not quite dare in dangerous actions and prioritized maintaining possession. Simeone would make the decision to substitute him in the second half, at a time when he was looking to equalize the score again, although it was no longer possible. Real Madrid improved with the entry of Modrić and had a clear chance in injury time that Marcos Llorente managed to thwart.
The message in the locker room is that they are very much alive to face the return at Metropolitano, although it will not be easy to overturn the score. At the very least, two goals will be needed to avoid extra time, something that already happened in last year's round of 16 against Inter Milan. Before that, there is a challenging visit to Getafe with the aim of staying in the fight for LaLiga and putting even more pressure on FC Barcelona at the top.