Atlético Madrid’s Álex Baena joined an exclusive creative club alongside Raphinha and marked the occasion by scoring his first goal for the club against Real Betis.
Atlético Madrid’s summer signing, Álex Baena, has secured a significant personal milestone, joining Barcelona winger Raphinha in an exclusive two-man club for chance creation in La Liga. The achievement was made on Monday evening during Atlético’s clash against Real Betis.
According to reporting by Get Football News Spain, citing statisticians ‘StatMuse’ on ‘X’, Baena’s creative output saw him become only the second player since the start of last season to create over 100 goalscoring chances in Spain’s top-flight.
The only other player to reach this century mark is Blaugrana star Raphinha, underscoring Baena’s elite contribution.
Baena’s performance was notable not only for the statistics. The former Villarreal man justified his inclusion in only his third league start, cementing a stellar evening on the stroke of the interval by scoring his first goal for the Rojiblancos.
With Atlético leading in Seville, the Spanish international picked up the ball on the left flank, cut inside, and unleashed what was described as an “unstoppable strike into the far top corner” of the net. The sensational finish gave his side a crucial lead.
The clash against Real Betis marks a pivotal moment for Baena, signaling his full fitness and emergence as a key creative force for Diego Simeone’s squad.
By matching Raphinha’s output, Baena solidifies his status as an indispensable asset, with more significant contributions expected this season.