Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has defended Julian Alvarez amidst a recent goal drought. The striker drew criticism after the 3-1 defeat to Barcelona but has scored ten goals across all competitions this season, prompting his manager’s public backing ahead of a trip to Athletic Club.
“We are supporting him in a moment where maybe he isn’t scoring as much,” Simeone stated. Data suggests an Atletico win is likely, despite their tendency to drop points from winning positions this season, a weakness Athletic Club, who hold leads firmly, could exploit.