Atlético de Madrid achieved a hard-fought victory against Athletic Club to momentarily position themselves as the sole leader of LaLiga following Real Madrid's defeat. The Madrid team fell during their visit to Real Betis, despite taking the lead, and they approach the next match with many doubts. Simeone made some changes to his line-up after the great effort the team endured during their visit to Barça in Montjuïc last Tuesday.
One of those who started on the bench is Julián Alvarez, who is already one of the footballers who has played the most matches this season. However, the Argentine international was decisive again, as he would be the author of the only goal of the match, reaching the unbelievable figure of 21 goals this season. It's an important number, as it matches one of the best forwards who have played for the colchonero team in the last decade.
Julián Alvarez Comes to the Rescue
It wasn't just any matchday, as Atlético de Madrid faced an Athletic Club that hadn't known defeat in the previous 16 LaLiga matchdays. Additionally, Real Madrid fell to Real Betis, giving both teams the chance to get closer to the top of the standings. Overall, the Basque team had more and better chances, but the figure of Julián Alvarez would end up being decisive in favor of the locals.
The world champion started on the bench, leaving his spot to Alexander Sorloth, who had earned the starting position after his good performance as a substitute. He came on after the break and took advantage of a great assist from Marcos Llorente to beat Unai Simón and score the only goal of the match. It's now 21 goals for the forward, matching Luis Suárez's records in the last season when they ended up lifting the league title.
Real Madrid, the Next Target
On Tuesday, Atlético de Madrid will face the biggest challenge of this season, visiting Santiago Bernabéu in the Champions League. Both clubs have drawn in the other two matches seen so far, showing the great equality that exists between both squads. Carlo Ancelotti was critical after falling at Villamarín, making it clear that they won't win if they can't improve the image shown yesterday.
Meanwhile, Simeone was able to rest some of his usual starters, something essential to keep everyone fresh. It's going to be a month where the future of the colchonero team could be defined, as all competitions coincide, and at the Metropolitano, they want to stay at the forefront in all battles. For now, just like in Montjuïc, they will need to get a good result so that everything is decided at home and in front of their fans.