Saul goes up to win an aerial duel but hits the side of Tachi's head with his elbow. It's a yellow card for the Atleti substitute.
90'
The fourth official indicates four minutes will be added for stoppages.
88'
R. Battaglia gets yellow.
Battaglia is shown a yellow card for a late, frustrated challenge.
86'
Penalty saved by J. Oblak!
OBLAK DOES IT AGAIN! The goalkeeper once again proves his worth, making an outstanding diving stop on the penalty with just four minutes left in the match!
SAVED! Joselu fails to convert from the penalty spot, sending his effort to the left - only to see Oblak get there first and parry it away! It remains 1-0!
85'
S. Savić gets yellow.
Savic is shown a yellow card for the flailing elbow which has given Alaves a chance to tie the match up from the penalty spot.
83'
Rioja is down holding his face after seemingly taking a blow from Savic's elbow. The incident occurred right on the edge of Atleti’s penalty area - which could lead to a spot-kick should VAR see this incident a certain way.
81'
Another wasted chance for Atleti as Suarez squares a pass to Carrasco just outside the six-yard box - only for the winger to fall theatrically in an attempt to win a penalty; though the referee was having absolutely none of it.
79'
Borja Sainz enters the game and replaces Pere Pons.
Another Alaves change sees Pons withdrawn in favour of Sainz.
78'
A poorly taken short-corner by Alaves turns possession over to Atleti relatively quickly; without the visitors even managing to hoist the ball into the opposition’s penalty area.
Minute
Description
76'
Y. Carrasco gets yellow.
Carrasco is shown a yellow card for jumping into Navarro during an aerial duel. It’s the winger’s fifth booking - meaning he will miss Atleti’s next match (a fixture vs Sevilla).
74'
Saúl enters the game and replaces Á. Correa.
H. Herrera enters the game and replaces T. Lemar.
It's a double change as Herrera is also in for Lemar.
A defensive change for Atleti sees Saul replace Correa.
72'
Joselu is incensed as he’s called for a handball during a potential counter-attack, as he fails to bring down the ball cleanly to get his side going forward. It’s the right call - but one that will no doubt infuriate the visitors.
70'
Tachi enters the game and replaces Laguardia.
A. Mahmoud enters the game and replaces Jota Peleteiro.
Mahmoud replaces Jota as it's two switches at once for the visitors.
Alaves make a change, replacing Laguardia with Tachi.
69'
Alaves waste a free-kick, sending it far too close to the net as Hermoso can shield it behind for a goal-kick.
67'
Trippier is caught being a little bit too eager to win the ball back near Alaves’ penalty area - fouling Rioja in the process and giving the visitors a free-kick.
64'
Jota swings a deep free-kick into the penalty area for Laguardia, who is unable to direct his header towards a team-mate - with Gimenez forcing himself into the middle of the action to clear the ball.
62'
Alaves take their corner short to Pellistri, who cuts inside and fires a shot from the right-hand corner of the penalty area, forcing Oblak into an important catch; as even a parry would have put it into the path of an attacker.
60'
A change on the hour sees Rioja replace Mendez.
59'
Luis Rioja enters the game and replaces Édgar Méndez.
58'
Alaves are in trouble now as they need to wrestle back not only momentum but a goal if they wish to take anything away from the Wanda Metropolitano. Their tactics were employable at 0-0, but they’re going to have to change things up to beat Oblak.
56'
Trippier seems to be okay after he was sent to the ground in a heap during the build-up to the goal, with Duarte sliding in on the wing-back in an attempt to block the cross. After remaining down for the entirety of the goal celebration and then some, the wing-back is seemingly able to continue after receiving treatment.
54'
Rubén Duarte gets yellow.
L. Suárez has scored a goal for Atletico Madrid! Assist by K. Trippier.
SUAREZ FINDS THE OPENING GOAL! 1-0! It’s the kind of connection Simeone was hoping for all match, as Llorente plays a lovely pass down the right flank for Trippier, whose excellently placed first-time cross finds the head of Suarez at the near post! The hosts take the advantage!
It's what Trippier does best - a fantastic cross from the right-hand side leading to a goal. It's gone down as the assist, and a crucial one at that.
52'
Frustration mounting for Suarez, who is once again in an offside position as a pass from Llorente comes in towards the striker. The Uruguay international has certainly not been at his best today.
50'
Lemar drives into the 18-yard box and shifts a pass to Suarez looking for the return, but a well-placed Battaglia steps in and wins possession cleanly, while also sending the midfielder to the ground in a heap.
48'
Atleti have now gone over two and a half games without scoring, since Suarez’s penalty in a 2-1 win over Bilbao on March 10. Even still, Simeone opts against making a change at the half, as the exact same XI retake to the pitch.
46'
Atleti get the match restarted from the kick-off!
45' +1
HALF-TIME: ATLETICO MADRID 0-0 DEPORTIVO ALAVES.
44'
The match official indicates two minutes will be added for stoppages.
38'
Correa receives a simple pass from Carrasco with his back to goal, before turning past two Alaves defenders and firing a low shot to the far corner - which fails to hit the intended target as the striker slipped just as he made contact with the strike.
36'
An Alaves throw-in put into the Atleti penalty area is headed to the edge of the 18-yard box for Pons, who latches onto it and fires an awkward volley at goal which fails to trouble Oblak - though it does force him to move across his goal to make the catch.
34'
Alaves are again let off the hoot as a poor delivery from the set-piece allows for an easy clearance.
33'
Jota Peleteiro gets yellow.
Two fouls in the same part of the pitch in two minutes earns Jota a yellow card. This time - he manages to take down Hermoso. Can Atleti make their opponents pay this time?
32'
The free-kick is taken short to Lemar, who clips the ball into the penalty area - only for a defender to smash it away with a powerful header.
31'
Carrasco is taken down by Jota just as the Atleti winger was about to shoot from outside the area. It’s a free-kick for the visitors which can be taken either as a shot or a cross - which will keep the defenders guessing.
28'
Overzealous pressing in midfield gets Atletico in trouble as Joselu does his best to shield the ball from two defenders right in front of the technical area - buying himself a free-kick in the process.
26'
As we approach the half-hour mark, neither of these sides have done enough to assert their dominance and take the lead. It’s been an even contest despite the disparity in the league table, as Alaves have matched their opponents for skill and strategy.
22'
Alaves are allowing Atleti to walk the ball right up to the 18-yard box, where the low block is able to deal with any incisive passes their opponents can craft. Battaglia has shielded the back line well, not allowing Llorente or Lemar to work in the necessary pockets of space.
18'
The hosts are dominating possession, but once again they are unable to make their share of the ball count - failing to combine in key areas. Pacheco has been untroubled in the opening 20 minutes as Correa and Suarez have really failed to involve themselves.
16'
Lemar lifts a lovely ball over the head of the defence for Carrasco, who keeps the ball in play with an overhead volley that falls perfectly at the feet of Correa. Three defenders converge on the forward inside the 18-yard box and squeeze him out of possession, ending another Atletico attack.
14'
Well the referee has taken his time with the decision, even going to view the touchline monitor - but he sees no reason to overturn his initial call as Atleti’s protests go unanswered. No penalty says the referee as Pacheco resumes play from a goal-kick.
12'
Carrasco takes the free-kick short and receives it again before firing in the cross from a different angle. Gimenez gets to the far-post delivery and nods it down - whereupon the Atleti players protest immediately for a handball. It’s finally cleared from the area but the referee brings play to a halt as he discusses a potential penalty with VAR.
11'
Carrasco is taken down in midfield by Battaglia - giving Atleti a free-kick just inside Alaves’ half.
9'
Lemar takes Atleti’s first corner of the match short to Carrasco, before receiving it again, cutting inside and blazing a shot high over Pacheco’s crossbar. It’s a wasted opportunity for the hosts, who had moved their centre-backs up the pitch in anticipation.
7'
Alaves have changed shape slightly, putting Mendez on the left flank in midfield, as opposed to playing up, alongside Joselu. Battaglia has also taken a slightly deeper position just ahead of the defence, with the 4-4-2 looking more like a 4-1-4-1 now.
5'
Pellistri goes on a dynamic run towards the byline, getting past Hermoso and firing in a dangerous, low cross which is whacked away immediately by Gimenez.
3'
A sloppy start from Atleti, as Correa is unable to get on the end of a simple one-two pass with Suarez, allowing Alaves to get the ball away from their penalty area.
1'
Alaves get the match underway from the kick-off!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the LaLiga fixture between Atletico Madrid and Deportivo Alaves!
It’s been a tough week for Atletico Madrid - who played out a goalless draw last weekend against Getafe before their 2-0 loss to Chelsea on Wednesday knocked them out of the Champions League. Diego Simeone can now turn his sights fully towards LaLiga, where Atleti hold a slim three-point lead ahead of second-place Real Madrid in what is shaping up to be an extremely tight tidal race.
Two points adrift of safety with a game in-hand, Deportivo Alaves will be desperate for the win necessary to take them above Eibar and Elche and into 17th position. It’s going to take a herculean effort for the visitors to take all three points, however, as the Basque side have scored the second-fewest and conceded the third-most goals in the top-flight. To break a run of five matches without victory - Abelardo Fernandez’s side will have to win against Atletico Madrid for the first time in 18 years.
ATLETICO MADRID SUBS: Ivo Grbic, Moussa Dembele, Vitolo, Felipe, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Sime Vrsaljko, Hector Herrera, Renan Lodi, Lucas Torreira, Saul Niguez.
ATLETICO MADRID XI (3-1-4-2): Jan Oblak; Mario Hermoso, Jose Gimenez, Stefan Savic; Koke; Yannick Carrasco, Thomas Lemar, Marcos Llorente, Kieran Trippier; Luis Suarez, Angel Correa.
With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let's take a look at how the two sides are lining up - starting with our hosts!
DEPORTIVO ALAVES SUBS: Martin Aguirregabiria, Deyverson, Borja Sainz, Burgui, Luis Rioja, Javi Lopez, Inigo Cordoba, Tachi, Abdallahi Mahmoud, Antonio Sivera.
DEPORTIVO ALAVES XI (4-4-2): Fernando Pacheco; Ximo Navarro, Victor Laguardia, Florian Lejeune, Ruben Duarte; Facundo Pellistri, Rodrigo Battaglia, Pere Pons, Jota; Joselu, Edgar Mendez.
There will no doubt be a shakeup from Simeone to start the second half, with Dembele and Renan Lodi available to give the side a little bit more of a forward thrust. They’ll need to be careful not to expose gaps in the defence as they push ahead for the opener - as Alaves would love to be able to sit deep and hit on the counter. Deyverson and Cordoba are both options from the bench to inject some pace into the visitors’ XI if the match gets stretched late on.
Atletico Madrid are back in action on April 4, when they travel to face Sevilla. Deportivo Alaves’ search for a win will continue on the same day when they host Celta Vigo.
That concludes our commentary of the LaLiga fixture between Atletico Madrid and Deportivo Alaves! We hope you enjoyed it!
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