Romero rescues Atlético at Mendizorroza as defence decides the night

Atlético Madrid left it late at a ground where they had not won in four visits, beating Deportivo Alavés 2-1 at Mendizorroza on 10 October 2026. Cristian Romero scored the second goal in the 87th minute, after Alejandro Grimaldo had given Atlético the lead on 33 minutes and Lucas Boyé had levelled for Alavés on the stroke of half-time. The result lifted Diego Simeone's side to second place on 19 points from eight matches — six wins, one draw, one loss — two points behind Barcelona and above Real Betis and Real Madrid.

The scoreline tells one story; the numbers tell another. Atlético had 68 per cent of the ball, 22 shots to Alavés's eight, seven on target to three, and ten corners to none. Their expected goals figure was 2.12 against Alavés's 1.09. By those measures this was not a narrow escape so much as a controlled performance that took far too long to produce a decisive second goal. The reports describe an opening half-hour of intensity without quality in the final third from either side, which fits the pattern: Atlético's pressure was steady but the cutting edge arrived late.

Two numbers stand out against Atlético's season averages. They took ten corners here, against an average of 5.4 across their earlier 2026-27 matches in all competitions. They also played 375 passes in the opposition half, against an average of 262. That is a side pinning an opponent back, not one clinging on. Alavés, set up in a 3-5-2, managed no corners at all and only one big chance. Atlético managed two big chances of their own, and the late winner from Romero was the reward for sustained territorial control.

There is a caveat. What can be said is that the game state shifted: Atlético were level at the break despite dominating, and the winning goal came from a defender in the closing minutes rather than from the forward line.

That last point matters for how this result is read. Romero's goal was the decisive one, and it came from the back. The summer arrivals listed for Atlético include Morten Hjulmand, Rodrigo Mendoza, Obed Vargas, Cristian Romero, Jonathan David and Ademola Lookman, while Rodrigo De Paul, Antoine Griezmann, Omar Janneh, Jano Monserrate, Giacomo Raspadori and Conor Gallagher have departed.

Lee Kang-in started on the bench and played a relatively quiet 33 minutes. The decision was linked to his travel and national-team schedule plus ankle discomfort, with Simeone opting not to overburden him. Alex Baena was highlighted before the match as Atlético's most dangerous player, with four goals, seven shots on target and twelve chances created, and the creative burden continues to run through him.

Ending the four-match winless run at Mendizorroza is a genuine step. The gap to Barcelona is two points; the question is whether a defence-driven, narrow formula can close it over a season.

Alavés, described as sixth before the match, remain a top-half side on this evidence, but their points total after the defeat is not stated in the sources.