If you watched that match from start to finish, you are either:
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a die-hard Atlético supporter
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a die-hard Oviedo supporter
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you had the money on the under for total goals.
It felt harsh for a desperate Oviedo side to come away with no points, but the winner from Julián Alvarez was ultimately well-earned for Atleti.
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Though they didn’t play all that well, Los Colchoneros did not play particularly poorly either. The first half reflected a team that had undergone seven changes from the previous lineup, along with one player making his senior debut. Diego Simeone made the correct adjustments in the second half, and there was a noticeable uptick in fluidity and confidence, particularly once Marcos Llorente entered the match. Jan Oblak also deserves special recognition, as the ever-reliable goalkeeper delivered with several crucial saves.
Julián will receive the headlines for his late heroics, but equal praise should go to academy product Julio Díaz, who kept the decisive play alive with an outstanding display of determination in the closing moments. Something suggests Simeone will take note of that effort, and it would not be surprising to see more of the Spanish under-20s international in the near future.
Let’s dive into some takeaways.
Welcome back, Julián
The celebration said it all.
Through all the noise surrounding a potential departure, and the criticism La Araña has faced this season, he once again responded in the best possible way by scoring the winner and securing a valuable three points for his club. The Argentine is slowly but surely rediscovering his scoring touch, having netted three goals in his last six matches. Tonight’s strike was especially significant, as it ended a run of 14 consecutive league matches without a goal and marked his first away goal since matchday one.
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Beyond his own celebration, his teammates’ reaction said everything. It served as a powerful reminder to Alvarez of just how important he is to this club.
Díaz’s debut
Julio Díaz joined the Atlético Madrid youth system from Rayo Vallecano in 2018. He made his senior debut with Atlético Madrileño in 2024, and he has been a regular under Fernando Torres ever since. At the international level, Díaz won the UEFA U19 Championship with Spain in 2024 and called up to the Spanish U20 national team for the FIFA U20 World Cup last year (along with now-teammate Rodrigo Mendoza).
It is no secret that Simeone has shifted his focus away from the traditional partido a partido approach and toward prioritizing a trophy push in (more immediately) the Copa del Rey and (in about 10 days’ time) the Champions League. With that shift comes the opportunity to rest regular first-team starters and give players deeper on the bench, as well as youth prospects, a chance to prove they deserve more minutes or even a permanent place in the senior squad.
Díaz is an immediate beneficiary. The youngster is far from a finished product, but his pace and drive look well-suited for the first team. His relentless effort to keep the ball in play on the boundary ultimately led to Alvarez’s 94th-minute goal, in exactly the kind of moment Simeone values. Going all out in the dying stages of a match to secure three points is the type of commitment that will undoubtedly endear Díaz to El Cholo.
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A recurring Simeone criticism is that the longtime coach has been reluctant to rely on academy talent. Too often, young players are moved on before being given a genuine opportunity to establish themselves at the top level. Omar Janneh, now starring at Swiss side Lausanne, is a recent example. From the 2004 age group alone, Adrián Niño, Aitor Gismera and Salim El Jebari have all left the club and are showing significant promise elsewhere.
A strong academy typically supports a strong senior squad and contributes to the long-term health of the club. Perhaps Díaz’s performance will serve as a reminder of that.
Looking to Tuesday
Shifting focus from LaLiga to the Copa del Rey, Atlético de Madrid now face what could be their most important match of the season.
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While the result of tonight’s match may ultimately prove insignificant in the bigger picture, it was valuable for Julián to see the ball hit the back of the net and for the club to secure a road victory. And on the other side, Barcelona will be brimming with confidence after scoring four goals against a very strong Villarreal side.
On paper, Barcelona appear to have the stronger squad and all the momentum. However, Atlético made a conscious effort to rest several key players against Oviedo, with some either not featuring at all or only appearing in the second half. Dávid Hancko and Marc Pubill, two of Atleti’s most important defensive pieces, were fully rested. Matteo Ruggeri, who seems to have found a solid run of form, was given the night off too. Alvarez, Llorente, and Giuliano Simeone have been among El Cholo’s most relied upon outfield players this season, yet all three logged limited minutes. Pablo Barrios also looks poised to return in some capacity, which could provide a timely boost.
If this were any other season, with any other club, you would be 99.99 percent certain that the 4-0 lead Atlético built in the first leg earlier this month would be enough to send them through to the Copa del Rey final. However, given the roller coaster that has defined this 2025/26 campaign, anything feels possible.
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Many will point to what happened in December, when Los Rojiblancos traveled to Barcelona and were outclassed 3-1. While Atlético have often resembled a Jekyll and Hyde side this season, they are far from the same team that lost at the Camp Nou. A back four of Pubill, Hancko, Llorente, and Ruggeri is far more reassuring than the previous combination of Hancko, Clément Lenglet, Josema Gimenez and Nahuel Molina. Alexander Sørloth is scoring goals, as he likes to say, like ketchup, and it appears Alvarez has rediscovered his touch in front of goal as well. The addition of Ademola Lookman has also given the squad a genuinely dangerous threat down the left flank.
For those reasons, I like Atlético’s chances of reaching their first Copa del Rey final since 2013.
So if you have made it this far, relax and enjoy the rest of your weekend knowing Atlético secured a strong result in LaLiga. Tuesday, however, promises to test the nerves.
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