Overview

• Julián Álvarez scored in the 15th minute, then struck again in the 80th and 88th after Rayo goals from Pep Chavarría and Álvaro García.
• The victory was Atlético’s second league win in six matches, lifting them into mid-table and leaving them nine points behind unbeaten Real Madrid.
• Diego Simeone praised Álvarez as “the best player we have” and said Atlético must keep him for many years.
• The match followed Álvarez’s missed penalty and visible frustration over a substitution at Mallorca, an episode Simeone sought to play down.
• Atlético continue to deal with injuries and Alexander Sørloth’s recent suspension, while media keep reporting links between Álvarez and Barcelona.