By OkayGoal Atlético Madrid were held to a 2-2 draw by Villarreal at the Metropolitano, with Marc Pubill and Giuliano Simeone scoring for the hosts against Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze penalties, according to Into the Calderon.
Two penalties and a red card shape a chaotic afternoon
Pubill curled home in the 59th minute before Morten Hjulmand’s foul on Tajon Buchanan gifted Villarreal a leveller from the spot through Moreno. Robin Le Normand was then sent off following a VAR intervention, with Mikautadze converting the resulting penalty to put the visitors 2-1 up before Giuliano Simeone finished off an Álex Baena through ball to snatch a point in the 85th minute.
Villarreal were comfortably the sharper side for long stretches, with Sofascore crediting the visitors with 3.60 expected goals to Atlético’s 0.71 across the game, a gulf Jan Oblak did plenty to close with four saves.
The Julián Álvarez situation reaches a breaking point
Julián Álvarez was jeered from the moment his name was read out before kickoff and again when he was introduced as a second-half substitute, managing just 12 touches and no chances created in roughly half an hour on the pitch. Fans have started chanting for him to leave, and at full time he went straight down the tunnel alone rather than join teammates applauding the crowd, with Diego Simeone later explaining the club itself had decided to keep him away from the stands.
The broader problem is structural rather than just about one player: Atleti had no genuine presence in the box even before considering Álvarez’s mood, with Lee Kang-in cast as a creator rather than a finisher and Ademola Lookman still miscast up front after a promising preseason.
Simeone points to a familiar problem
Simeone took ownership of the forward setup after the game and apologised to Lookman for deploying him out of position, arguing that winning titles requires proper forwards. With Alexander Sørloth sidelined again and the transfer window closing soon, resolving the centre-forward question, whether through Álvarez or a new arrival, has become the priority.
The draw follows a more comfortable opening win over Málaga and leaves Atlético unbeaten through two league games, though the performance did little to settle the noise around Álvarez’s future.