Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has labelled countryman Julian Alvarez as the ‘best player in the club’, following his hat trick in the 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano.
Argentine forward Alvarez, netted a remarkable hat trick to help his side come from a goal down to record only their second win of the season on Wednesday night.
The 25-year-old had previously scored once in five previous appearances this season, while Los Colchoneros had also started the season poorly, recording just a single win in all competitions.
However, they will hope Wednesday’s performance was a sign of things to come, as they moved up to nine points this season.
Speaking after the match, Simeone, who had come under scrutiny for his side’s poor performances was very impressed with Alvarez’s display.
“Álvarez] is very good — he’s the best player we have. We have to look after him, we have to help him be better. We need to have him here for many years at Atlético Madrid, he’s our difference-making player”, Simeone stated.
“Pure football. Football is fantastic. That’s the marvellous thing about this game. When it seems all is lost, faith, work and persistence, give you this joy every now and then.”
The former Manchester City forward opened the scoring in the 15th minute, but the visitors hit back in first half stoppage-time through a stunning strike by Pep Chavarria.
Alvaro Garcia put Rayo Vallecano 2-1 up in the 77th minute, before Alvarez struck twice in the space of eight minutes to give his side the victory.
Atletico will face city rivals Real Madrid this weekend, in a must-win clash as they look to close the gap to the top of the table.
“They’re a team that’s won all six games,” Simeone said, hailing Xabi Alonso’s influence at Real Madrid.
“hey’re in an incredible moment, and they have decisive players all over the pitch. They’ve grown compared to last season in their collective play. They’re a great opponent.”
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
