Alex Baena was the one who gave the initial impetus that led Atlético de Madrid to victory over Manchester United on the second day of the group stage of the Champions League. The Almeria striker opened the scoring 47 seconds into the match with a masterful assist that left striker Pablo Barrios in the goal zone, where he scored the first goal of the game. Baena's goal became the second fastest in the club's history in the competition, only surpassed by Conor Gallagher's goal against Real Madrid a few seasons ago.
During the 71 minutes he played, Baena delivered one assist and made 34 of 42 passes with 81% accuracy. In addition, he shot twice, one of them at goal, and traveled 8.2 kilometers in total. UEFA recognized his performance with the “MVP” award of the match, which the Technical Observer Group justified by saying that “he was very good with the ball and showed intelligent movement to take advantage of the spaces both inside and outside the area, assisting the first goal.” The player was very happy with the award, commenting that “I would have also shared it with Pablito (Barrios) because he played a great game and scored the goal, but the truth is that I am happy to be able to win it.”
Baena added that the award is “the first of many” and that he hopes to continue contributing with goals and assists at Atlético. In the first ten games of the 2026/27 season, the Spanish international has already scored four goals and provided three assists, doubling his scoring output from the previous campaign, where he had only scored two goals in 47 games. His performance in the first ten games of the new season exceeds his previous campaign's total, indicating a good start for the player.
Regarding the collective performance, Baena highlighted the team's defensive solidity, pointing out that “we hardly gave Manchester United any opportunity to get into the game” and that “it is very important to keep a clean sheet.” He also praised the team's offensive level, adding that "I am happy to be at this level and to be able to continue helping the team with assists and goals." The forward expressed his surprise at the result, commenting that “I'm happy because I didn't expect it.”
With the victory and individual recognition, Atlético de Madrid advances in the group stage with a solid foundation. Baena, who has already proven to be a key player in the first games of the season, will continue to be a decisive element in the upcoming games, as the club seeks to consolidate its position in European competition.