Two clear chances went unconverted as Julián Álvarez struggled in front of goal during Atlético Madrid’s defeat to Barcelona.

The player faced whistles even when his name was announced in the lineup. The performance left a feeling of frustration across the stands as supporters grew increasingly frustrated with the forward known as the Spider, while his defensive intensity and his other contributions were outweighed by the two mistakes.

The fixture carried extra weight for Álvarez, given persistent summer transfer interest from Barcelona that dominated the previous window, and all spotlights were fixed on the Argentine as he started the match with intensity and eagerness to take on a leading role.

Manager Diego Simeone defended his player after the match, noting his involvement in the team’s attacking creation and pointing out that the forward took part in three or four of the team’s five major chances while keeping his trust intact in the player and choosing to keep him on the pitch to perhaps protect him from what would have been a historic round of jeers when the stands called for his substitution.

We need the best Julián and we are going to work with him, Simeone stated regarding the forward’s recent performances.

He quickly atoned two minutes later when Kang-in Lee produced an outside-of-the-boot diagonal switch, and the Argentine used his vision to set up Giuliano Simeone instead of searching for an individual action, allowing his teammate to beat Joan García in the opening build-up sequence that led to Atlético’s first-half threat and displaying that he remained connected to the match and capable of making a difference through other facets.

Yet the second half brought another missed opportunity when another through pass left him in a clear situation against the goalkeeper, but Álvarez attempted a long-range lob against García rather than closing in closer to the goal area, sending the attempt wide of the target and leading to louder jeers as two golden chances were wasted.

The setback against Barcelona followed a heavy home defeat to Bayern Munich just five days prior at the Metropolitano, where the German side swept through the venue like a hurricane and exposed the red-and-white squad’s difficulties against opponents with such attacking capacity.

Facing elite European attacks in quick succession—as the schedule brought Kane and Olise together with Lamine Yamal and Raphinha in just a few days to test an Atlético side that had spent months presenting a convincing image through play and results—exposed defensive frailties that disrupted Atlético’s momentum in La Liga.

Just ten days before the losses, the club had briefly celebrated holding first place in the domestic standings for a few hours when everything seemed rosy, whereas everything turned to doubt and discouragement following the blows from Bayern and Barcelona.

A brace from Fermín López sealed the victory for Barcelona in a match where the Catalan side did not even require the best versions of Lamine and Raphinha to take home the three points, leaving Simeone’s squad searching for answers before the international break.