La Liga 2024-25: Atletico leaves it late to beat Alaves in Simeone’s 700th game

Atletico found itself on the back foot in the seventh minute after Javi Galan conceded a penalty with a handball when he had his arm raised to block a cross. Jon Guridi made no mistake from the spot as he sent Jan Oblak the wrong way.

Atletico Madrid’s Alexander Sorloth celebrates scoring his team’s second goal. | Photo Credit: AFP

Diego Simeone’s landmark 700th game in charge of Atletico Madrid ended in a late 2-1 win over Deportivo Alaves in La Liga after Alexander Sorloth saved the home side with an 86th-minute winner at the Metropolitano Stadium on Saturday.

Atletico found itself on the back foot in the seventh minute after Javi Galan conceded a penalty with a handball when he had his arm raised to block a cross. Jon Guridi made no mistake from the spot as he sent Jan Oblak the wrong way.

Atletico received a lifeline late in the game when Sorloth’s header hit the arm of defender Abdel Abqar to earn a penalty and although Antonio Sivera dived in the right direction, Antoine Griezmann’s spot kick found the back of the net.

With a draw on the cards, Rodrigo De Paul found Sorloth making a run in behind and the Norwegian’s strike squeezed in at the near post to move Atletico up to second in La Liga, four points behind leaders Barcelona, while Alaves are 16th.