Alex Baena has rejected criticism of Julian Alvarez after Atletico Madrid’s 2-1 La Liga defeat by Barcelona, insisting the Argentina international was one of his side’s best performers at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Alvarez faced widespread scrutiny after failing to convert his opportunities in Sunday’s match, but Baena said the criticism did not reflect what happened on the pitch.
“Julian played a great match,” Baena said in comments reported by Marca. “I hope he gets the chances he had on Sunday in every game. Some days a player is more accurate, and on other days he is not. On another day, he will score them.”
Baena said Alvarez had remained involved throughout the game and had created opportunities, with the decisive touch in front of goal simply eluding him. The Spain midfielder suggested that such an outcome was part of football and could happen to any striker.
Atletico frustrated by missed chances
Although Atletico suffered their second consecutive home defeat, Baena believes the hosts caused Barcelona significant problems and were competitive for long periods.
“We caused Barcelona a lot of damage, but we were not clinical in front of goal,” he said.
“For me, the difference is that they took advantage of the chances they had, while we did not. When you do not take your chances, what happened today is what happens.”
Baena felt Atletico’s first-half performance showed they could match the Catalan side, but said their level dropped after the interval and that proved costly.
“Looking at the first half today, we are at the same level,” he said. “When your performance drops below 100%, they will crush you. We cannot drop below 120%.”
His comments offered a clear defence of Alvarez, who Baena believes was not absent from the contest despite failing to score. Instead, the forward was involved in creating openings but could not provide the finishing touch Atletico needed.
The result left Atletico to reflect on another missed opportunity at home, with Barcelona showing greater efficiency when chances came their way. Baena’s assessment was that the performance itself was not the central problem; the key difference was the failure to turn promising moments into goals.
Baena remains confident
Despite the setback, Baena refused to adopt a negative outlook and called on Atletico’s supporters to maintain faith in the team’s direction.
“This is a long season, and there is still a lot for us to play for. This is the path we have to follow,” he said.
Atletico’s next listed La Liga schedule information includes fixtures dated 22 November 2026 involving Barcelona, Villarreal, Getafe and Atletico Madrid. For Baena, the immediate task is to ensure the chances created in the defeat by Barcelona are converted when the team returns to action.
