Argentine center back Cristian “Cuti” Romero gave Atlético de Madrid the victory over Deportivo Alavés in Vitoria, becoming the hero of a match that had been close to a draw. With the score at 1‑1 and time almost up, Atlético could not break the Alava defense, which had reduced its squad to 10 players. The attempts by Baena, Julián, Llorente and Kang-in failed to penetrate the penalty zone, and the match seemed destined to end in a draw, something that would have put the team in the relegation zone and prevented them from maintaining second position in the table.
In the 87th minute, Baena recovered the ball on the left wing and, after surpassing his rival, launched a cross from the outside of the right. The shot slipped between the posts and Alavés forward Sorloth could not react in time. In an unexpected turn, Cuti Romero himself joined the attack, destabilizing Alavés' defensive structure and heading the ball into the back of the net from the far post. The goal, which seemed like a surprise, turned the 1‑1 into 2‑1 and secured the three points for Atlético.
The victory, the team's fourth in a row, includes two away victories, a historic goal that the rojiblancos have sought for years. The result underlines the group's ambition and willingness to continue competing at league level. In the postgame, Romero expressed his satisfaction: “You always have to think about more, want more and that is the mentality of this season.” He added that the team is prepared to compete in a very demanding league and that “each game is an opportunity to give more than 100%.” The Argentine forward, recently named captain of the National Team, showed that his leadership transcends the field and that his performance is key to the club's success.
Romero's goal not only gave Atlético the necessary points, but also consolidated its position in the fight for the title. With the victory, the team remains in the classification zone, while Alavés is further away from the fight for promotion. The next challenge for Atlético will be to maintain the pace and continue demonstrating that the mentality of “wanting more” is a reality in every match.