Quique Sánchez Flores says Atlético pushed Alavés beyond its limits

“Atlético demanded a lot from us; we had a bad day,” Quique Sánchez Flores said after the match at Mendizorroza. The Alavés coach watched Atlético de Madrid claim victory in the closing stages, with Cuti Romero scoring after a pass from Baena.

The coach acknowledged that the opposition had made the contest difficult to manage. He said his side had been close to its limits in refreshing the starting eleven, and that the dismissal came just as the players intended to continue with the plan were ready. “They played quite well and we were not as sharp as on other occasions,” he said, adding that his team had stayed organised but had been made to run extensively.

The dismissal changed his approach: Sánchez Flores had wanted to keep two forwards on the pitch, but instead reshaped the side into a 4-4-1. He said that formation made it difficult to cover all the spaces. On the incident, he said he had not seen it and felt the player had not meant to cause harm. He also referred to a first-half incident involving Lookman, saying the VAR had not intervened in the same way.

Despite the defeat, the coach said the result should not have a particular impact on his team’s good run. He noted that the opposition were a Champions League side and that the dismissal had made matters harder. With a new run of fixtures underway, Alavés must now turn its attention to the next round in Vigo.