# Julián Álvarez Fights 90 Minutes But Atlético Collapse 3-0 at San Mamés as Simeone Blames His

URL: https://technosports.co.in/simeone-julian-alvarez-atletico-collapse/  
Published: 2026-09-10  
Updated: 2026-09-10  
Author: Reetam Bodhak

Five minutes. That is all it took for Atlético Madrid’s unbeaten start to the 2026-27 La Liga season to fall apart at San Mamés.

Athletic Club struck twice in roughly five minutes through Robert Navarro — his second goal arriving just two minutes after the first breakthrough — before Oihan Sancet added a third in the 90th minute to seal a 3-0 win on September 5, 2026.

Yet the loudest post-match sound came from the away dugout, where Diego Simeone singled out Julián Álvarez for praise despite the heaviest defeat of his side’s campaign.

![](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/julian-2.jpg)

## Simeone’s Verdict: “He Did What I Expected Him To Do”

Speaking after the final whistle, Simeone was blunt about the one bright spot in Bilbao. “Julián Álvarez had a very good game. He was fighting from min 1 to min 90,” the Argentine coach said, before adding: “He did what I expected him to do.” The praise carried extra weight given the context.

[Diego Simeone confirms Julián Álvarez](https://technosports.co.in/diego-simeone-julian-alvarez-stays-atletico/) as central to his project, and the forward returned from illness to make the bench at San Mamés. With [Alexander Sørloth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_S%C3%B8rloth) injured and unavailable, Simeone’s attacking plans were already stretched thin — which makes Álvarez’s **32-minute** cameo all the more significant.

## The Numbers Behind the Defeat

Álvarez entered in the 58th minute with the game still alive, and his impact was measurable. His left-footed shot in the 71st minute stood as Atlético’s biggest chance of the entire match, registering an xG of just **0.23**. That single figure tells the story of a blunt attacking display.

| Data Point | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Final score | Athletic Club 3-0 Atlético Madrid |
| Álvarez’s key chance | Left-foot shot, 71′, xG 0.23 |
| Álvarez’s minutes | Entered 58′, played to full time |
| Collapse window | Two goals in about five minutes |
| Third goal | Oihan Sancet, 90th minute |

Worth noting: an xG of 0.23 as your best chance means Atlético created nothing clearer than a speculative opportunity across **90** minutes. For a club with title ambitions, that is the more alarming statistic than the scoreline itself. Full coverage via [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport).

## Simeone Points the Finger Inward

Here’s the thing: Simeone did not hide behind his players. He said the second-half collapse happened in “barely five minutes” and blamed the coaching staff for failing to get the message across at the break. It is a rare public admission from a manager in his second decade at the club, and it echoes themes we explored in [Diego Simeone and the defensive paradox](https://technosports.co.in/diego-simeone-defensive-paradox-atletico/) that has defined recent Atlético sides.

The defeat was Atlético’s first of the 2026-27 La Liga season, dropping them after they had collected **seven** points from their opening three league matches. The timing stings ahead of fixtures like [Rayo Vallecano vs Atletico](https://technosports.co.in/rayo-vallecano-vs-atletico-madrid-can-diego/), where dropped points would compound the damage.

## What Comes Next for Atlético

The response matters now. A trip to San Mamés is never easy, but the manner of the loss — a **five-minute** structural failure rather than a slow erosion — suggests a fixable problem. Simeone’s staff have a week to correct it, and Álvarez’s fitness and form offer a foundation. Our preview of [Real Sociedad vs. Atletico](https://technosports.co.in/real-sociedad-vs-atletico-madrid-prediction/) already flagged how fragile the attack looks without Sørloth.

**Verdict: Álvarez’s 0.23 xG chance was Atlético’s best of the night — Simeone’s staff, not his striker, own this defeat.**

Atlético’s season will not be defined by Bilbao, but how Simeone rebuilds the midfield screen in five-minute windows like that one will decide whether seven points becomes a platform or a false dawn.

## Related Articles

- [Alvarez Atletico: Julian Alvarez Dropped from Atletico Squad](https://technosports.co.in/alvarez-atletico-squad/)
- [Simeone: Alvarez To Get Atlético Opportunity Ahead Of Bilbao Clash](https://technosports.co.in/simeone-alvarez-atletico-opportunity-bilbao/)
- [Julian Alvarez Price Named as Arsenal U-Turn Looms in 2026](https://technosports.co.in/julian-alvarez-150m-arsenal/)

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## FAQs

### What did Diego Simeone say about Julián Álvarez?

Simeone said Álvarez “had a very good game” and “was fighting from min 1 to min 90,” adding that “he did what I expected him to do” after the 3-0 loss at San Mamés. Full coverage via [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football).

### When did Julián Álvarez come on against Athletic Club?

Álvarez entered as a substitute in the 58th minute and played until the final whistle, having returned to the squad after an illness.

### Who scored for Athletic Club in the 3-0 win?

Robert Navarro scored twice in a five-minute spell, with his second goal coming two minutes after the first, and Oihan Sancet added the third in the 90th minute.

### What was Atlético’s biggest chance of the match?

Álvarez’s left-footed shot in the 71st minute was Atlético’s biggest chance, carrying an xG of 0.23.