Alaves vs. Atletico Madrid | LALIGA Highlights | ESPN FC

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Alaves 1-2 Atletico Madrid: La Liga highlights as Grimaldo and Romero secure win

This is ESPN FC's highlights and commentary from Alaves vs Atletico Madrid in La Liga. Atletico led through Grimaldo, Alaves equalized late in the first half, Perez was sent off, and Romero headed the 87th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory. The coverage also discusses Alaves's form, Simeone's use of Lookman, the red card and Alaves's midfield problems.

Watch the highlights as Atletico Madrid defeats Alaves, 2-1, in their LALIGA matchup with goals scored from Alejandro Grimaldo (33') and Cristian Romero (87'). ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN ESPNFC

Transcript

that these are the tests this this specific afternoon after the international break against this specific type of Alves side which are going well and are confident and are superbly coached. This is where you can trip up. This is where you can you can't say that's that's the title, you know, um in Kariladd on the >> on the right road. You can screw up here and you can lose momentum and you can ultimately if you can't win matches like this, you can be left lamenting a chance wasted which Atlety have done so many times in recent years. >> Well, Alves only lost once uh only lost one of their last six games coming into coming off the back of the international football. So that also bodess well for them and underlines the fact that this isn't going to be easy for Madrid. referee this afternoon, Alejandro Kintterero. It's Juan Luis Pledo, who is the video assistant referee. This is the Alves side. Seivera starts in goal. There's no Kosski, the only casualty from the international break. So, Tal Tanaglia, I think Tanaglia will play as we've got it there either side of Valentino Otto on the other side. Perez and Rebach will be the wing backs. Iban Blanco and Dennis in midfield. Buen Oblak starts in goal. Urenti Lenoman Romero and Crimaldo at the back. Juliano, Johnny Cocky and Barios in midfield who's different still to Sorlock because David is not a 10. Jonathan David is not a 10. He's a finisher. Pete >> well being likened to Luis Suarez who we mentioned right at the top of of our broadcast because he was the man that got the goal the last time at Leti won here and that was back in 2021. We're underway with Alves kicking from right to left as we look. Jurenti is starting at right back because in the team sheets we were given it was Juliano and uh Juliano's dad gave nothing away when he was asked. Is that a mistake or is that how you're going to line up? >> There was no way it was going to be anything else but he would not budge to our reporter. He wouldn't give they still think that even and there he is. Look, keep it stretched. Keep it stretched and flex every now and again. >> Raise it up and down. He said the thing I missed it's not about running coaching. He said I was just playing football. Well, it was interesting. It was interesting to hear as well. Aguardia, former Alves center back, one of the legends of uh of the club, I think played in the cup final when Pelleini was the manager >> with Dorenti at um >> and with Yeah. Yeah. Marenti playing at Pavi. >> Yeah. >> Marched the way to the Copa del Rey final. bounced up against a very good Barca side. >> Here's Perez again. >> Pis fires the shot into the side netting. Well, he's getting closer with every effort. He's uh >> but he has got a real eye for >> bench. He was on international duty for the Dominican Republic. Three goals so far this season, which is more goals, I think I'm right in saying, than he scored in the last at least three years. So, he's had >> and more. >> Yeah, it's been incredible. One of Kik's little miracles at the start of this very hopeful season for Alves. John Otto. That's a loose pass, but it's made the best of by Valentini up towards Martinez. Couti Romero goes down for the moment. Play continues. Here's Julian Sumion. Threads that one into the path of Jonathan David. He gets the shot away. It took a deflection. Fine save from Seivera. The flag I think has been raised. thing is that he gets the shot away. It's on target. Just can't make up his mind whether to feed Lman or not. I think it's one of the things about Juliano. Read by one back by Giuliano. Here's Koke. Grimaldo. Lukeman to his left. Jonathan David in the penalty area. Grimaldo's made a run ahead of him. Here's Barios. Koke into Urenti. Urenti strikes it and it's well saved by CA. Well, he's already scored once this season or bit in the Champions League and field or certainly against Liverpool, wasn't it? Um he loves scoring against Liverpool. >> He does love a goal against the Reds. There's a moment there time if there's no change in the score line between now and then the next 15 minutes thinking I'm going to put one on target. I have got an opportunity to score today from a central position. Boyet Dennis does well rolls that one out to Anel Perez. Perez floats across to the back post and it's headed away by Koke. Here's Juliano Simeone. >> Well, we've between us, I think, with justification given Dennis Suarez a bit of a bad name so far. >> And that was decent, wasn't it? >> That's why he's on the pitch. That's lovely. Lovely football from Dennis. >> All of it was technically lovely but under big big pressure. This this is the moment maybe looks a little bit naive but he's got to win this again from the Canadian. He does. It's Spain won North America nil there. Barios lays it off and they'll be very frustrated about that because they thought they'd won that fair and square. Suarez was away into space. I think if we see it again, I think will be proven to have stopped Koke from turning on the ball. >> Referee's had very little to do today, which is not I would have expected. I I thought this would be more fiery. >> Long ball forward towards Lukeman >> and it may yet be. >> Yeah, plenty of time. Lookman, who if you speak to Atleti fans, there's a sense that some of the anarchy has been already coached out of him by Simeone and then make your own minds up whether that's for the better or for the worse. Remember Simeone's comments when he made such a good start in terms of goals scored in his first few appearances and Simeone was but he's not doing what we want him to be doing. He used the D word, didn't he? In defense. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And it's not prudent to go too far into it, but the the whispers are that just certain banging together of heads between the coach and the managing director. LOVELY TOUCH FROM DAVID GRALDO SCORES AND ATLETICO MADRID HAVE THE LEAD. Lovely one two inside the penalty area. Well, he's such a prolific player when you consider the position he plays in. He scored goals for fun for Bay Leverkusen. He's on the score sheet again. It's Atletico Madrid one Alves nil. >> I interviewed him during the World Cup Pete um with the Spain squad and there was not a complaint from him. There was not a a sour face. But during the interview, he said, "I literally can't believe I'm not playing in this team." He said, "My numbers last season were absolutely sensational. I feel like I'm in the form of my life. And although his first task is defending, when you get service like that off a proven goal scorer, the little touch from Grimaldo there is nice and it leaves Taglia lost. But Jonathan David, so many strikers in that situation be looking to just swivel their body, take a turn, get a right foot show off. All he's got in mind is I see a space in >> because you're judging it by one more game. Yeah. Um but it was an incredible start, wasn't it? And then these last three matches coming into this game, the draw against Athletic and they slipped up against Valencia and against Rafing. But um before that it was just extraordinary and they were in a Champions League place >> which I think is maybe extending things a little far for them. They're possibly not even a conference squad yet. But when Kika took over, >> here's Grimaldo again. HE HITS IT NOT too far away from Sea's left hand upright. >> He's got his tail up. >> He's in the mood. >> Yeah. uh and eight assists as well. Yeah, >> it's not bad for a full especially as far back to Chubby Alonso. He he was goal contributions he was up around 30 the 23 24 season he scores 10 and he's and there are 15 assists. >> So, >> so just to defend him because he wasn't pitching a morning when he sat there in Chattanooga it was saying I can't believe I'm not in this team. It was genuine astonishment and and he he went to my numbers my stats last season were anyway still got a golden medal hasn't he still got a golden medal >> certainly has suarez over the free kick >> this is where and Martinez absent so far potentially earn their Well, the angle couldn't be worse really. He swings it towards Martinez who heads it down. That's easy for Oblak. Yeah, I have him in the argument to win the award for the least scored against keeper this season, >> which will be the seventh time he's won the what they call the Zamora prize. >> Couple of good candidates to compete with him in John Garcia Corttois, but >> clips that in towards David. Seira came out. Julian has the chance. It's hooked away by Blanco. If you don't mind me, Johnny. Johnny so good that good football from Alves. It's swept back out to Abdak. The cross is a decent one. It was there to attack. It's been spilled. Card also clears. The shot is saved by Oblak. He comes out and is hooked away. I think in the end by Romero. Well, that was Alves maybe best chance of this first half. >> That's why Cardoso in the last two and a half minutes has made goal saving interventions. That one was particularly vital. So alert to Oblak spilling it. And had he not been so, Alves would have been sitting at 1-1. >> Here's Dennis Blanca. Perez was uh caught there by Lman and there was um afters between those two earlier, hence um Anel Perez writhing in agony and just if the referee had any doubts making sure he pulled out the yellow. It' >> be interesting to see the level of contact >> the situation in the penalty areas. We wait for Dennis Suarez to take this free kick. A last chance of the half. Down goes Martinez. Good stop from Oblak. Didn't know much about it. And the second one is cleared off the line brilliantly by Koke. Penalty. And has the referee point to the spot? There's yellow car come out for Len. We will not be easy to score against. There's potentially the foul. This is the point where Oblak does well enough. It's cleared off the line quite comprehensively. Does not cross. We're looking at a foul right there. >> Well, Leno man wrestles uh put Alves on level terms just before Halime up he steps and he rolls it in and out of level and uh well exactly what Simone didn't want a response which in many ways is undeserved. Sorry, Kik, but that's the way we've seen this first half. But his team um barring something happening in what's left of this first period will go down the tunnel at halftime on terms because of Boyet's goal. Well, although there are lots of rumors, they're still casting for the next James Bond. >> And we watched big old Boyet stand there on the spot with a ball in his arms as mayhem erupted all around in confusion. It wasn't clear what the dialogue between the referee and Madrid was about. And yet in La Liga he's almost halfway to the 11 he managed last season. And there wow is the halime whistle. Some uh a late clash between Barios um and I'm not sure if that was Abd or Tony Martinez. By the look of it was Tony Martinez. >> Far away FIFA football. Um so you can understand that there might be a perception that with the number of kilometers in his legs playing for Canada coming on now. Well, at the moment, Graeme, it looks like Alleta going to make another change. Um, Carloso, Kangin, Lee, Bayern. Here's Koke Julian. He was caught late there unintentionally. I think the referee for the moment allows the player and then decides against it. And there's a yellow come out for Perez. Koke suggesting that it's more than a yellow. Um >> I had your interpretation of it. The fact that the ball's there to be challenged and and the clash of body. >> Valverie got up so quickly and continued. Um and there was no time for what's happening here, which is the video. Sister referee telling the referee Alejandro Cana that he needs to look at this and he's just if he's just seen the replay that we've seen. >> I think they're right, aren't they? Yeah, this is going to get even more difficult for Alves. The only thing possibly in Perez defense is that um Julian, albeit not studs up, also sort of lunges. I he slips more than anything and that means that he's one of the things that the the laws talk about is imprudence. Are you lacking awareness of the damage you could do? And in that type of reckless play, it's a red. The more you look at it, the clearer it gets. I wish I'd seen it with completely clear eyes right from the start. I there's any question now. >> Yeah, has to be. So, Alves um are back on terms courtesy of that late penalty in the first half, but they're now facing uh half an hour with one field player on the pitch. Anel Perez goes off um and he can shake his head but maybe when he sees the the replay that we've seen >> the same thing happened in the first half he's just said now I don't remember that instant Graeme um >> in in well one incident in the first half was where he and Lachman went down and were rolling around like a crazy man >> and >> well maybe >> I won't speak for you again but I thought he was acting it up And and that one was this one is crystal clear. There's no comparison. >> Julian Alvarez over the ball as is Grimaldo. >> Yeah, clear reference to that incident in the first half. And I agree with you. Hans is about to come on that um he made the the most of that in the first half. So off comes Lenand. Hans replaces him. Let's see how Kik Sanchez Flores shuffles things now that he's lost his right wing back. Let's see first what Alvarez can do from this free kick. >> Hits it well, but um well, did he hit the post? >> He did to spot. Let's see now. >> From Julia revenge, wouldn't it? >> Probably. >> Oh, sorted himself. so quickly there. >> Grimmaldo got on to it. UREN WITH A SHOT saved by Sea and Urenti will be so >> to repeat, hasn't it? >> And I think that Alleti are consistently playing for that. Will will love the fact that Kangan Lee was on the volley. He was immediately putting it where a center forward wants it. >> Out it goes again to Jurente. Here's Kangin Lee. Couti Romero into Alvarez. Grimaldo Bayer up against Jon Otto. Back to Alvarez. Alvarez with a shot. Screws wide off a deflection again in the space that we've been pointing out throughout the game just in front of the D. Part of the reason is that there isn't natural pivoting at Alab I think almost in the squad you have players who can play in that organizing position >> Koke to Grimaldo Grimmaldo gets the shot away and it's dealt with by CA wasn't he but um >> for for my taste that that level is limitations too strong a word maybe that's what I'm trying to say so I may as well just say it limitations Mariano's header reached Zotto Campbell from Grimmaldo. At least that's what about 15,000 people in Mendulsa screamed at the same time. Koke out to Urente. Kangin's made a run. He's been picked out by Urente. Cross goes Guavara. They've given away the corner. >> And now there is that alternate oldfashioned idea about set play. Big opportunity. Ping it to Couti Romero. Ping it to Shirot. Cus Romero got four goals last season for Tottenham. Something else he's more than capable of. It's played short instead. Here's Grimaldo 10 in terms of corners in Atleti's favor. The shot comes in from Bayern. Sea spills it, but there's no one there apart from Tanaglia to pat him on the head and say no worries. Four goals so far this season. Bayer he had to do once Tom Griezmann left the club. They're pushed in confidence for being the Mariana might be in here if he can get the shot away. He dummies. He shoots and he blazes over. Well, are they going to get a better opportunity than that? Surely not with 10 men. But this this this is the moment where he does the difficult bit. Now the dummy. That's so clever. At which point the goal to Oblak's left hand is gaping. Koke Cardoso. Can they tease away way through here? Here's Grimaldo. Out to Bayena. Cross comes Johnny Otto Bay WITH THE CROSS. HEADED INTO THE BACK POST AND LET TAKE THE LEAD and it is Couti Romero. Well, it needed to be. It needed to come from somewhere where Alves were maybe not expecting it to come. It is the center center back ghosting in at the back post. Four goals in his goodbye season at Tottenham. That's his first for Atletico Madrid. The player that Cholles Simeone has spent so many seasons waiting to sign. Not because he can score goals, because he stops them going in, but he can also do that. And with what have we got? Three minutes plus time added on left. It's Alzan and Atletico Madrid 2. Well, he's done it is the way to say it. They've got what a cross that we were talking about having grown in confidence. Grown is important. um puts in a sensational >> time running out. It's taken down nicely by Abdah. >> Well, it's your long throw specialists moment. >> Yeah. Well, the referee has blown for time. Menosa is not too happy. Diego Simeone will be absolutely delighted. his team have come to a place where they have not fared well in recent seasons. They took the lead on 33 minutes through. Grimaldo is pegged back.