In a dramatic finish to an otherwise tightly contested match, Atletico Madrid clinched a vital 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo, courtesy of a 90th-minute strike by their marquee offseason signing, Julian Alvarez. The thrilling encounter in the Spanish league saw Alvarez deftly slot in a cross from Antoine Griezmann, sealing the win for Diego Simeone’s side at the Balaídos Stadium on Thursday night.
“What matters are the three points,” remarked Alvarez, who was evidently enthusiastic about the hard-fought victory. “If it’s 1-0 or 5-0, what is important is to get the three points. We knew it was going to be a difficult match against Celta here.” This crucial win keeps Atletico Madrid two points behind arch-rivals Real Madrid, with an eagerly anticipated derby looming large this Sunday at Atletico’s Metropolitano Stadium. Both teams are in hot pursuit of league leaders Barcelona, who have started the season in impeccable form with seven consecutive wins.
The contest against Celta Vigo was far from straightforward for Atletico. The hosts, despite their recent struggles – having lost four out of their last five matches – pushed Simeone’s team to the brink. Celta managed to carve out several promising opportunities, only to be thwarted time and again by Atletico’s stalwart goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Oblak’s superb display between the posts ensured the scoreboard remained level, giving his team the platform to snatch victory in the dying moments.
Until Griezmann’s moment of magic, Atletico had faced difficulties in penetrating Celta’s defensive lines. Griezmann, known for his flair and creativity, weaved through defenders to deliver a pinpoint left-footed cross. Alvarez, showcasing his striking instincts, timed his run perfectly to tap the ball into the net, sending the traveling supporters into raptures. This marked Alvarez’s second goal for Atletico since his high-profile transfer from Manchester City, further solidifying his place in the squad.
Atletico’s performance in this game contrasted sharply with their previous outing, a 1-1 draw away to Rayo Vallecano. Nonetheless, they had been in good form before that, securing three consecutive wins across all competitions.
. With the monumental clash against Real Madrid on the horizon, Simeone will be rallying his troops to build on this vital victory and carry the momentum into the derby. Beyond the domestic front, Atletico also have a crucial UEFA Champions League fixture against Benfica next Wednesday, making this a pivotal period in their season.
Meanwhile, Villarreal continues to impress in the league. Ayoze Pérez inspired them to a 2-1 comeback victory over newly promoted Espanyol, scoring twice to extend his tally to six goals in seven matches. This win solidifies Villarreal’s position near the top of the standings, mirroring Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski’s scoring prowess, who leads the charts by a single goal. Villarreal’s resilience was on full display, especially following a humbling 5-1 defeat at home against Barcelona in the previous round.
However, the match ended on a sour note as Spanish media reported that the referee was struck by an object thrown from the stands as he exited the pitch. Incidents like these cast a shadow over the sport and highlight the need for better crowd control measures.
At the other end of the table, the woes continue for last-place Las Palmas, who are yet to taste victory this season. Their recent 1-1 draw with Real Betis means they have now failed to win in 21 consecutive league matches, a streak dating back to the previous season when they narrowly avoided relegation. Las Palmas took an early lead through Alberto Moleiro in the ninth minute, but Betis, coming off the back of two consecutive wins, leveled the score in first-half stoppage time thanks to Giovani Lo Celso.
The draw leaves Las Palmas rooted to the foot of the table, with fellow strugglers Getafe being the only other team without a league win this term. The pressure is mounting for Las Palmas to turn their fortunes around before the gap to safety widens further.
This story has been sourced from a third-party syndicated feed, and Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for the dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete, or remove the content without notice for any reason whatsoever.
