Atlético Madrid closed out their week with two defeats after playing Barcelona at the Metropolitano on 8 November.
Alvarez misses chances
Julian Alvarez missed two clear chances in the match. His first came in the sixth minute, when Joan Garcia closed the gap and took the ball off him. Four minutes later, Alvarez assisted teammate Giuliano Simeone, who scored to make it 1-0. Alvarez then missed a second chance by sending a lob over the crossbar.
Jeers and a positional change
Fans jeered Alvarez after his misses at the Metropolitano. Diego Simeone kept him on the pitch, while Alexander Sorloth's introduction moved the Argentine to the left.
Simeone offers his support
Diego Simeone, the coach, said at a press conference: “We love him very much, and we need him.”
He also said: “We need the best version of Julian Alvarez, and we will work with him.”
Alvarez's earlier apology to fans
After scoring his first goals at the Metropolitano against Deportivo La Coruna, Julian Alvarez, the Argentine striker, said: “I wanted to apologise to our fans for my words during the World Cup.”
He also said: “It was a mistake, both in the way I expressed it and in the timing. More importantly, I understand the fans' anger. If I were a supporter, I would be angry too, especially given the way they backed me. They were extremely generous towards me, and I appreciate that a great deal. I also want to thank the team, because my teammates supported me throughout this period.”
