Atletico Madrid: The Trump Card in Alvarez's Hands

Julian Alvarez frequently shoulders the blame for Atletico Madrid's setbacks this campaign. However, he proved to be the team's best player versus Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg and could very well do it again at Camp Nou.

The Argentine forward sent a powerful message to the Catalan side ahead of Wednesday's second leg, having scored the sole goal to secure Atletico's victory over Oviedo last weekend in the 90+3rd minute.

Diego Simeone described it as match management, as the Argentine tactician's squad is under significant pressure due to the club's turbulent season. This is a team with too many new signings, young players still developing, and veterans like Antoine Griezmann or captain Koke whose careers are on the decline.

It is actually Alvarez and goalkeeper Oblak who have steadied the ship during this strange season. The Slovenian keeper protected Rojiblancos from the pressure Oviedo exerted throughout the match, and the number 19 was the one who sealed the host's fate.

It was evident that none of Simeone's players were capable of scoring against the hosts before Alvarez came on in the second half. They didn't even manage a single shot on target. Their goal came from their only attempt that found the target. Baena complained more than he played, Almada was criticized for having no meaningful impact on the team's play, and Nahuel repeatedly made mistakes with every pass.

Among the few genuine fighters like Cardoso, Oblak, and Alvarez, the 25-year-old striker had the final say. The Argentine strategist clearly had the Camp Nou rematch against Barcelona in mind when fielding a reserve team for this seemingly unimportant away fixture. Only after Alvarez was introduced in the second half did Rojiblancos start to resemble a proper football team.

This is precisely Atletico's problem. It's an unstable football structure, lacking depth and a clear strategy for the long season. They rely on individual brilliance and lack the necessary cohesion to execute their plans. Even the 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the first leg largely stemmed from the opponent's mistakes.

Julian Alvarez embodies this issue. After convincingly helping his teammates defeat the Catalan side, the Argentine forward then delivered a disappointing performance in the subsequent 0-3 La Liga loss to Vallecano. Rojiblancos were held to a 3-3 draw by Club Brugge in the first leg of the play-off despite his goal, only for him to disappear again in the win over Espanyol.

The number 19, and Atletico itself, play in an unsustainable pattern, easily swept up in the inconsistency they create. The team lacks a concrete game plan and is almost devoid of the depth required for major matches.

Victories like the one against Barcelona should be seen more as rewards for struggling free from difficulty than as displays of genuine competitiveness. Of course, Simeone's team holds a significant aggregate advantage over their opponent for the second leg at Camp Nou, and Alvarez seems destined to shine in the most desperate moments. He has reappeared just in time, and if the Catalan side repeats the mistakes of the first leg, number 19 will extinguish any remaining hope of the hosts defending their title.