Julián Álvarez made his long-awaited debut for Atlético de Madrid at the start of the La Liga season. La Liga against Villarreal, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Debut with Substitution
Alvarez came on as a substitute for Antoine Griezmann in the 77th minute, and although he had limited time to make an impact, he showed commitment during the 20 minutes he played, although he had no clear chances to score.
The match proved to be a challenge for Atletico Madrid, who faced the tough conditions at Villarreal's Estadio de la Ceramica in the intense summer heat. Despite the difficult conditions, the game started with a high tempo as both teams looked to establish their dominance early on.
Villarreal took the lead in the 18th minute with a brilliant individual performance from Arnaut Danjuma, who deftly beat Axel Witsel before sending a low shot across goal to make it 1-0.
Atlético de Madrid responded quickly, equalizing two minutes later thanks to Marcos Llorente. Llorente, known for his ability to exploit spaces in the opponent's defense, executed a quick one-two with Griezmann before firing a powerful shot into the top corner, leaving the Villarreal goalkeeper with no chance to stop it.
The match continued at a fast pace, with both teams exchanging blows, but Villarreal managed to regain the lead shortly before halftime.
This second goal came as a result of a rare mistake by Atletico's experienced goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who failed to properly clear a corner kick. The ball deflected off Atletico's hapless captain Koke and into the net, marking Koke's first own goal in over 450 appearances for the club.
The moment when La Araña debuted with Atlético de Madrid 🔴⚪🕷️ pic.twitter.com/yCVNHXIz4m
- Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) August 20, 2024
Close Match
Despite this setback, Atletico Madrid showed resilience and equalized again just before halftime. Their new signing, Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth, made an immediate impact when he headed in Pablo Barrios' well-placed cross.
This goal was particularly significant as it came against Villarreal, where Sorloth had been the top scorer last season.
The second half of the match showed a noticeable drop in intensity, with both teams struggling to maintain the high energy levels they demonstrated earlier. Villarreal came close to breaking the deadlock, with Dani Parejo narrowly missing a free kick and another attempt from new signing Nicolas Pepe crashing against the crossbar.
However, neither team managed to register a shot on goal in the second half, leading to a somewhat anticlimactic end to what had been an interesting match.
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone reflected on the performance after the match, acknowledging his team's overall commitment while pointing out areas for individual improvement.
The match was also notable for the significant changes to Atletico's squad over the summer. Key departures included Alvaro Morata, Stefan Savic and Memphis Depay, while the debuts of Julian Alvarez, Alexander Sorloth and Robin Le Normand signaled the start of a new chapter for the team.
As Atletico Madrid prepares for its next challenge, a home match against Girona, the team will look to build on the positives from this opening game while addressing areas that need improvement.
Villarreal, meanwhile, will prepare for their next La Liga away game against Sevilla, hoping to turn their promising start into a win.
