Atletico Madrid continued their recovery and return to form in La Liga, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Deportivo Alaves on Sunday evening in Matchday 20. This win reinforces Diego Simeone's men's ambition to maintain their place in the top four and secure European qualification for next season.
A wake-up call after the Super Cup and Cup setbacks
Atletico Madrid's path to victory in recent weeks has been anything but smooth; the team has suffered from inconsistent results, drawing against Real Sociedad in the 19th round and suffering a bitter defeat against arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final. However, the team has shown great character by returning to winning ways, starting with a Copa del Rey victory over Deportivo La Coruña, and continuing tonight with this important win that restores confidence to the players and fans at a crucial stage of the season.
Sorloth's header secures the three points
The Spanish capital's team owes this victory to its brilliant Norwegian striker, Alexander Sørloth. In the 48th minute, at the start of the second half, Sørloth converted a perfectly placed cross from his teammate Pablo Barrios, heading it accurately from close range into the net to score the only goal of the match. This goal reflects Simeone's increasing reliance on crosses and exploiting the physical strength of his attackers to unlock compact defenses.
The battle for the Golden Square and the Champions League calculations
With this victory, Atlético Madrid increased their points tally to 41, securing fourth place, the last automatic Champions League qualification spot. They are level on points with third-placed Villarreal (who have played one game less), while trailing rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona by seven and eight points respectively. These points are particularly important given the fierce competition in La Liga, where finishing in the top four is crucial for Atlético Madrid, both in terms of sporting success and to guarantee the substantial financial rewards of European competition.
European challenges and impactful injuries
Simeone's attention is now focused on the upcoming European fixture, as his team faces a tough challenge in Turkey against Galatasaray in the seventh round of the Champions League. The Madrid side currently sits in eighth place, the last position that guarantees direct qualification to the round of 16 without needing to play in the playoffs, making the upcoming match akin to an early final.
Regarding absences, the coaching staff hopes to have Argentine striker Nicolás González back in the lineup after he missed his fourth consecutive match due to a muscle injury. He will undergo crucial physical tests. Meanwhile, French defender Clément Lenglet will remain sidelined for the fifth match with a knee injury, placing additional pressure on the team's defense.
Alaves' struggles and Valencia's victory
On the other hand, this loss increased the troubles of Deportivo Alaves, who suffered their eleventh defeat this season, leaving them stuck on 19 points in eighteenth place, a position that threatens the team with relegation to the second division, which calls for urgent intervention to correct the course.
In other matches of the round, Valencia achieved a dramatic late victory over their host Getafe with a clean goal scored by captain Jose Gayà in the 84th minute. This victory is the first for "Los Che" after a series of six lean matches, raising the team's tally to 20 points and jumping to seventeenth place, moving a little further away from the relegation zone.
