Alex Baena backs Julian Alvarez after Atletico Madrid’s defeat by Barcelona

Alex Baena has defended Julian Alvarez after Atletico Madrid’s 2-1 La Liga defeat by Barcelona, insisting the Argentina forward was among his side’s best players despite criticism of his performance.

Alvarez came under scrutiny after Atletico’s second successive home defeat, but Baena said the reaction did not reflect what happened on the pitch at Wanda Metropolitano.

“Julian played a great match,” Baena told Marca. “I hope he gets the chances he had on Sunday in every game. On some days a player is more accurate, and on other days he is not. On another day, he will score them.”

Baena’s assessment was that Alvarez had remained involved and created opportunities, but had been unable to convert them. He argued that the forward’s failure to finish those chances should not be confused with a lack of effort or influence.

The Atletico midfielder also felt his team had caused Barcelona significant problems during the match, although their inability to take advantage of their opportunities ultimately proved decisive.

“We caused Barcelona a lot of damage, but we were not clinical in front of goal,” he said.

“For me, the difference was that they took the chances they had, while we did not. When you do not take your chances, what happened today happens.”

Baena believed Atletico had matched Barcelona for long periods, particularly during a strong first half. However, he said their level dropped after the interval and that small decline had a major impact against opponents of Barcelona’s quality.

“Looking at the first half today, we are at the same level,” he said. “When your level drops below 100%, they will crush you. We cannot drop below 120%.”

The defeat was a painful result for Atletico, who were beaten at home for the second consecutive time. Nevertheless, Baena rejected the idea that the team should respond with pessimism and told supporters there was still plenty of time to recover during the season.

“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.

His comments offered public backing for Alvarez and reflected Atletico’s belief that the main issue against Barcelona was not a fundamental problem with their performance or the forward himself.

Instead, Baena suggested the decisive factor was the lack of finishing at key moments. Atletico created enough to trouble Barcelona, but the visitors were more effective when their opportunities arrived, leaving the hosts to reflect on a second straight home loss.