VAR Drama and Missed Opportunities Shape Stalemate at Mendizorroza
The Mendizorroza crowd got a tense, high-stakes show as Alaves and Atletico Madrid fought tooth and nail but couldn’t break the deadlock. For Alaves, snatching a point felt like grabbing a life raft—they nudged up to 16th, now sitting three points above the drop zone with a few games left in the season. Atletico, on the other hand, saw their already fading La Liga dreams disappear almost completely, stuck nine points adrift of Barcelona, who keep cruising at the top.
This game delivered controversy early. Julian Alvarez’s high challenge on Facundo Garces looked like a clear send-off as the referee flashed red. But VAR does what it loves—rewriting the script. After a review, the red slipped down to a yellow. That moment lit the fuse, shaking both teams out of their shell and forcing Diego Simeone to rethink his tactics. Off went Giuliano Simeone and Antoine Griezmann, replaced by Samuel Lino and Alexander Sorloth as Atletico hunted for something, anything, in attack.
But premium chances were as rare as sunshine in Vitoria that day. Antonio Sivera’s reflexes stood up when Lino unleashed from distance—Alaves’ keeper keeping the home crowd on edge but ultimately unbroken. Atletico’s own wall between the sticks, Jan Oblak, matched that effort, fending off Kike Garcia’s close poke late in the second half as nerves hit fever pitch.
Possession stats painted the usual Atletico pattern: lots of ball, not enough killer instinct. Clement Lenglet had his shot, but fluffed his lines. Angel Correa almost turned provider into hero, but again, Alaves bodies were always in the way at the right moment.
Survival Hopes and Champions League Security
For Alaves, a goalless draw against top opposition gave their survival fight a mighty shot of adrenaline. Every player scrapped all over the pitch, from Alvaro Garcia throwing his weight around in midfield to Tomas Conechny’s late hustle after coming off the bench. Manager Luis Garcia Plaza tweaked things as best he could, including bringing in Cristian Molina for Gallagher to shore up the edges and exploit tired Atletico legs down the flanks.
Atletico’s evening wasn’t disastrous—they’re safe for the Champions League next season, having all but locked up third place. Still, their play in Vitoria raised the same old fears: when the chips are down, where does the inspiration come from? They pressed, swapped bodies up top, but it never clicked. Sorloth, brought in for extra firepower, found himself crowded out or forced wide, as Alaves set up camp on the edge of their own box.
With the final whistle, Mendizorroza’s raw tension turned into brief, nervous celebration from home fans. This was a survival point, a hard-earned reprieve. And for Atletico Madrid, a handshake with reality—third place secured, but the hunt for silverware, at least domestically, ends here.
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