Atletico Madrid Held to 1-1 Draw by Alaves, Winless Streak Continues

Atletico Madrid's struggles in the early stages of the 2025-26 LaLiga season have shown no signs of abating, as they played out a disappointing 1-1 draw against Alaves at the Estadio de Mendizorroza. This result marks a concerning trend for the Rojiblancos, who have now failed to secure a victory in their opening three league matches, a feat not seen since the 2009-10 campaign.

The match began with a glimmer of hope for Atletico when Giuliano Simeone found the back of the net in the seventh minute, giving his side an early lead. However, their advantage was short-lived. Just six minutes later, Alaves were awarded a penalty after Nahuel Tenaglia committed a foul in the box. Carlos Vicente stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick, bringing Alaves level and shifting the momentum.

Despite creating numerous opportunities throughout the game, Atletico Madrid found themselves unable to break the deadlock and secure a decisive second goal. A moment of particular misfortune struck late in the match when substitute Antoine Griezmann's powerful effort cruelly rattled the woodwork, denying Atletico a potential match-winning goal.

The match also saw an extended period of stoppage time due to a medical emergency in the stands. However, even with the added minutes, Atletico was unable to capitalize on their chances and find a breakthrough.

The draw undoubtedly adds to the mounting pressure on manager Diego Simeone, who had previously urged supporters to remain calm after the team's two initial winless outings. This start to the season is now Simeone's worst in terms of wins since taking the helm. While Atletico dominated possession and slightly edged the expected goals (xG) metric, their critical inability to convert opportunities into goals proved to be their undoing.

This result leaves Atletico Madrid languishing in 14th place in the LaLiga standings, a position far below expectations for a club of their stature. The team will need to find a way to reignite their form quickly to avoid further slipping down the table and to appease an increasingly frustrated fan base.