Atlético de Madrid took three points from a difficult match against RC Deportivo, with Julián Álvarez scoring the only goal of the game, according to DAZN. The win leaves Atlético two points behind Barcelona on the eve of El Clásico.
Álvarez started a Liga match for the first time this season — his third start in all competitions this campaign — and used the occasion to seek reconciliation with the club's supporters. After the match, captain Jan Oblak publicly defended his teammate, who had asked to leave during the World Cup.
Why it matters
The result keeps Atlético within touching distance of the top of the table, but the performance left questions inside the club. Oblak was candid about the team's display, saying the first half was poor and that the side improved after the break before dropping off again.
The night also mattered for Álvarez personally. His goal, his first in La Liga in almost a year, came from a fine cross by Grimaldo and marked another step in repairing his relationship with the Atlético fanbase.
Oblak on Álvarez: "He is giving his maximum"
Oblak was clear about the forward's importance to the side. According to DAZN, the Slovenian goalkeeper said Álvarez is giving the best of himself and that he was happy for him, adding that it is obvious how much the team relies on the striker.
Oblak also addressed the summer episode directly, saying he is confident that Álvarez will gradually win the supporters over again. He described the forward as a great player who has already proven his quality and stressed that Atlético need him in the best possible form.
Álvarez himself apologised to the Atlético fans after sealing the win over the Depor, with El Periódico reporting that he called his words during the World Cup a mistake. DAZN framed the goal as part of that reconciliation between the stands and the player.
A captain looking at the long game
While much of the attention before the weekend was fixed on the first Real Madrid–Barcelona meeting of the season, Oblak refused to be drawn into it. DAZN reports that he said he does not care about El Clásico and that Atlético must focus on themselves.
His reasoning was about the length of the campaign rather than any single fixture. Oblak stressed that the team cannot afford to drop points, acknowledged that both Barcelona and Real Madrid are strong sides, and said Atlético intend to stay near the top and fight until the end of the season.
That fight, in his view, depends on matches like the one against Deportivo — awkward fixtures that still have to be won. DAZN reported that the Galician side had a chance to score with the last play of the game, underlining how narrow the margin was.
Oblak's assessment of the performance was measured rather than celebratory. He said the match had been very hard for Atlético and that the team had not been entirely good, with a first half that was quite bad, a better second period in which they raised the tempo, and then a dip again late on.
What to watch
Álvarez's fitness and form will be central to whether Atlético can keep pace with Barcelona and Real Madrid, and his next appearances will show whether the truce with the supporters holds. Atlético's upcoming Liga fixtures will reveal whether the Deportivo display was a blip or a warning.
