Atlético Madrid endured another frustrating evening in La Liga as they were forced to settle for a 1–1 draw away at Deportivo Alavés, leaving Diego Simeone’s side still searching for their first victory of the new campaign after three matches. The contest at Mendizorroza highlighted both Atlético’s resilience and their recurring shortcomings, as they once again struggled to turn possession into goals and failed to capitalize on the opportunities they created.
Alavés took the lead midway through the first half when a defensive lapse allowed the home side to break into the box, forcing a clumsy challenge that resulted in a penalty. The spot-kick was calmly converted, sending the home crowd into celebration and putting Atlético immediately under pressure to respond. For large stretches of the opening 45 minutes,
Atlético dominated the ball, circulating it through midfield with Rodrigo De Paul and Koke attempting to dictate tempo, but the final pass was often lacking and the forwards found themselves smothered by a compact Alavés defense. The best chance came when Julián Álvarez, who was eager to make an impression after joining in the summer, won a penalty just before halftime.
However, the Argentine forward failed to deliver from the spot, his tame effort saved comfortably by the goalkeeper, and the miss drained much of Atlético’s momentum heading into the break. In the second half, Atlético came out with greater urgency, pressing higher up the pitch and forcing Alavés to defend deeper. Marcos Llorente’s pace on the flanks created several dangerous situations, and Antoine Griezmann’s link-up play added creativity, but the finishing touch remained elusive.
Álvaro Morata had a header go narrowly wide, while Álvarez again saw a shot blocked at close range. Simeone introduced fresh legs, hoping to inject energy into a side that looked determined but somewhat predictable in attack. The breakthrough finally came in the 72nd minute, when Atlético equalized from a set-piece situation. A well-delivered corner was flicked on at the near post, and Morata reacted quickest to slot the ball past the Alavés goalkeeper, restoring parity and offering a lifeline for Los Rojiblancos.
The goal sparked a late surge as Atlético pushed hard for a winner, but Alavés held firm, with their goalkeeper making a series of crucial interventions and their defenders throwing themselves into blocks to deny Simeone’s men. By the final whistle, the sense of disappointment among Atlético players and fans was evident.
Though they avoided defeat and showed character in fighting back, the result means Atlético have now collected only two points from a possible nine, a start far below the expectations of a squad considered among the contenders for the La Liga title.
Questions are beginning to mount over the team’s sharpness in front of goal and their ability to handle pressure in decisive moments. Simeone, visibly frustrated on the touchline, acknowledged afterward that his players must improve both their efficiency in attack and their concentration in defense if they hope to compete with Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top of the table.
For now, Atlético remain winless, and their upcoming fixtures already carry added weight, as fans demand a response and a return to the aggressive, clinical identity that has defined the team under Simeone for more than a decade.
