Oblak backs Alvarez to give ‘100%’ as Atletico Madrid target La Liga title

Jan Oblak says there is no question over Julian Alvarez’s commitment to Atletico Madrid as they prepare to face Real Madrid in Sunday’s Madrid derby.

The match, which takes place after tomorrow, is the headline fixture of the seventh round of La Liga, with Atletico looking to build on a series of encouraging performances.

Speaking to Marca, Atletico goalkeeper Oblak said the club had moved beyond the situation surrounding Alvarez and was fully supporting the Argentina forward.

“The players and the captains have dealt with Julian Alvarez’s situation as something that is now in the past,” Oblak said. “He is with us at the moment and we support him.”

Alvarez has already featured in several matches this season, and Oblak believes the 100% commitment of the former Manchester City player is beyond doubt for as long as he remains at the club.

“Alvarez is giving everything he has,” he added. “He has already played some matches and given everything he could. I am certain that as long as he stays here, he will give 100% of his level with great sincerity and do everything he can for this club and to achieve the best results possible.”

Atletico have performed well in their recent fixtures, particularly in their most recent outing, although Oblak stressed that Diego Simeone’s side are still at an early stage of development.

“We have played extremely well in our recent matches, especially the last one,” he said. “But we are at the start of the season. Some players are absent, new players have joined and the team is still being built.”

Oblak does not believe Sunday’s derby will determine the direction of Atletico’s campaign. He said the club’s objective in such matches had always remained the same.

“I do not think the derby will change the course of Atletico’s season,” said the Slovenia international. “Since the first derby, the goal has always been to win. You give everything you have on the pitch, play with the desire to do your best and help the team, and this time will be no different.”

The 32-year-old also reflected on how football and La Liga have changed, saying the way teams score and concede goals is different from several years ago.

“Football is changing in general,” Oblak said. “The way goals are conceded or scored is different from before. In the past, teams defended better and some sides did not have the same attacking strength. La Liga is difficult, and the way it is played has changed.”

He hopes Atletico can extend their run of clean sheets, but warned that opponents are now better at finding spaces they previously struggled to exploit.

Oblak also praised midfielder Koke, calling him a club legend whose place in the team continues to be earned through his daily work.

“Koke is a legend of this club and he continues to prove it,” he said. “He plays because of what he contributes, not because he is Koke or because he has played so many matches, but because of the way he trains every day.”

Atletico’s ambition, Oblak added, is to win La Liga rather than simply qualify for the Champions League.

“We will try to win the La Liga title,” he said. “We are competing with big teams such as Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal and Real Betis. But every year we compete, we want to win. We are not fighting to finish in one of the top four places; we want to be champions.”