Simeone lauds 'game-changing' Alvarez in Atletico's Champions league victory
Julian Alvarez was back on the scoresheet for Atletico Madrid as they held on for a 3-2 win over PSV in the Champions League.
Diego Simeone hailed "game-changing" star Julian Alvarez after he scored in Atletico Madrid's 3-2 Champions League win over PSV.
Alvarez levelled the game at 1-1 following Guus Til's opener, before David Hancko and Alexander Sorloth rendered Ricardo Pepi's late strike a consolation.
The Argentine has scored 11 goals in 15 matches for Atleti in the Champions League, the best goals per game ratio (0.73) for any Atleti player in the competition, while only Antoine Griezmann has scored more for the club (39).
In the last two seasons, only Serhou Guirassy (16) has been involved in more goals in the Champions League group/league phase than Alvarez (10 goals, three assists).
And across this season's competition, only Kylian Mbappe (nine) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (seven) have more goal involvements than Alvarez (six – four goals, two assists).
Simeone was pleased to see Alvarez get back on the scoresheet, with the forward failing to find the back of the net in his previous three games.
"I loved the team. We didn't let them play their game; they had scoring opportunities because they play well," said Simeone.
"We played the way we wanted. Game-changing players like Julian have their moments. And they're brilliant.
"I hope he keeps playing like this because they're essential. Alex [Sorloth] showed great sportsmanship by setting him up for the first goal.
"Julian returned today, as many had hoped, to be the game-changing player he is. He worked hard, he ran, he had incredible individual moments."
