Football
Alvarez ends six-month drought to salvage point for Atletico in Stuttgart
Julian Alvarez scored his 50th goal for Atletico Madrid, ending a long scoring run and securing a 1-1 Champions League draw against Stuttgart.
A six-month absence from the scoresheet ended Tuesday night as Julian Alvarez netted the equalizer for Atletico Madrid in a 1-1 Champions League draw against Stuttgart. The Argentine forward’s strike rescued a hard-fought point for the Spanish side, who finished the match with ten men after a mid-second-half dismissal.
Alvarez breaks scoring silence
Manager Diego Simeone expressed confidence that Alvarez would find the net again, noting he never doubted the striker’s ability to rediscover his form. The breakthrough came just 80 seconds into the second half, when Alvarez swept home a cross from substitute Ademola Lookman. This marked his 50th goal for the club across all competitions under Simeone, making him only the sixth player to reach that milestone during the manager’s tenure.
The goal concluded a barren spell dating back to April 29, when Alvarez last scored in a European clash against Arsenal. Prior to this campaign, he had contributed 10 goals during Atletico’s previous season run to the Champions League semi-finals. His only other involvement in Europe this term was an assist in the opening-day defeat at Liverpool on September 9.
Ten-man Atletico hold firm
Bundesliga hosts Stuttgart took the lead through Jamie Leweling’s low strike in the 36th minute. However, Atletico’s momentum shifted negatively in the 64th minute when Morten Hjulmand received a red card for a reckless challenge on midfielder Angelo Stiller. Despite being down to ten players for the final 26 minutes, the visitors defended resolutely to preserve the draw.
Simeone addressed the incident via Movistar, stating the sending-off was fair. "I always tell the boys: whenever you leave the floor, you're close to a red card," he said. He acknowledged that the dismissal prevented his team from maintaining their desired game state, though they successfully secured the 1-1 result.
Teammates praise striker's impact
Full-back Alejandro Grimaldo highlighted Alvarez’s recent work rate, describing him as the team’s best player. "He's been creating a lot of chances in recent games... He needed that goal, and we hope this will be the first of a lot of goals for him this year," Grimaldo added.
This performance follows a turbulent summer for the striker, who attempted to force a transfer to La Liga rivals Barcelona. Club hierarchy blocked the exit, leading to friction with sections of the fanbase before the start of the current season.
Next challenges for Los Rojiblancos
The result leaves Atletico in 15th place in the league-phase standings with four points. They follow up their loss at Anfield with a victory over Manchester United last week. Attention now shifts to domestic La Liga fixtures, with a demanding European test against Bayern Munich scheduled for November 3.
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