COLUMN: The Madrid derby fallout – Atletico Madrid can grow again and here’s why | OneFootball

Over the past 30-odd years, a lot of talented attacking players have worn the red and white stripes of Atletico de Madrid.

Christian Vieri. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Diego Forlan. Sergio Aguero. Radamel Falcao. Diego Costa. Antoine Griezmann. Luis Suarez. Despite a reputation as a gritty, defensive side, Atletico Madrid – particularly during its golden era under Diego Simeone – has usually been able to field high-level forwards. Griezmann has twice found himself on the Ballon d’Or podium as an Atletico player; Costa and Suarez both won La Liga while playing for the club.

However, Cholo Simeone has never had a forward quite like Julian Alvarez.

Alvarez’s Ballon d’Or nomination snub was always ridiculous, but over the past week, the beast from Calchin has made France Football and Golden Ball voters look positively amateurish. After dragging Atletico to a victory over Rayo Vallecano with his first hat trick in European football, Alvarez on Saturday delivered a signature display against Real Madrid, as Atleti won the derby in historic fashion.

In all, Alvarez just produced a five-goal week that could have revived Atletico’s flagging, injury-plagued season. His six goals in La Liga are second only to Kylian Mbappe, whose Real Madrid side remains six points clear of Atleti but – perhaps crucially – will not have the head-to-head tiebreaker, barring a sensational result for Los Blancos when these teams meet again in March.

For the first time in 75 years, Atletico hung five goals on Real Madrid, returning to the fringes of La Liga’s title conversation with a thumping 5-2 win at the Metropolitano. Alvarez was central to the beatdown. In the first half, he created three chances and bent a long-range shot off the post, shortly before surprise starter Alexander Sorloth equalised with a close-range header.

Image via Angel Martinez/Getty Images

But the second half is what has everyone talking in the hours and days since this 177th league derby finished.

Mere minutes into the second half, in the second phase of an Atletico corner, Arda Guler’s high boot made contact with the forehead of Nico Gonzalez; the Argentine won a penalty. And there was Alvarez, six months after his successful spot kick in a Champions League round of 16 penalty shootout was disallowed for an alleged “double touch”, stepping up to power another penalty out of Thibaut Courtois’ long reach, restoring Atletico’s lead.

Less than 15 minutes later, Alvarez won a free kick from about 25 yards out after Real Madrid substitute Franco Mastantuono tugged him down by his jersey. After a momentary debate with Nico Gonzalez, Alvarez stepped up and bent the ball past Courtois at his near post, the ex-Atleti keeper getting a hand to it, but failing to keep it out.

“Nico told me he was going to shoot, and at the last minute he said ‘you take it, Julian,’” Alvarez told DAZN after the game. “Thank goodness we made that decision.”

Marca cheekily said that this time Alvarez did indeed take two touches – and they were both world-class. The goal from the free kick brought Simeone to tears – for the second time in a week, the coach called Alvarez his best player, and impressed upon everyone at the club the need to “take care” of him and ensure he stays at Atletico for years to come.

“He has to help us, and we have to help him, so that he can be even better than he already is,” Simeone said.

Simply, Alvarez is the most complete forward Atletico have had in the Simeone era. I mean this. It is borne out first in the distance he covers, with the ball and without it. He runs non-stop; he is the leader of Atleti’s new high-pressing system that ranks fourth in La Liga in high turnovers forced.

Image via AFP7 / Europa Press

The ability to start and finish his own moves is the ability on which Simeone’s new system is predicated. We saw at Manchester City how Alvarez flourished creatively, as Pep Guardiola played him in an attacking midfield role behind Erling Haaland. At Atletico, Alvarez is expanding upon the goalscoring touch that made him stand out as a River Plate prospect, scoring a heap of poacher’s goals and outrageous low-percentage chances alike; three of his six goals this season have come from outside the penalty area.

“Julian Alvarez is crazy, he’s insane,” Nico Gonzalez told Argentine outlet DSports. “He’s so calm, but once he’s in there on the pitch, that son of a b*tch transforms. He’s something incredible.”

He has transformed into one of the planet’s most complete players, not just among forwards. He had completed football, winning every domestic and international trophy on offer, before turning 24 years old. And who knows – judging by his performance against Real Madrid, Alvarez could transform Atletico into something much greater too.

“I wanted a space that gave me a better place to grow, to try to find my best version,” Alvarez told Argentine rugby star Agustin Creevy before the derby. “Now I want to continue at this club and win titles here.”