Julián Alvarez scored a hat-trick to give Atletico Madrid a 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish league on Wednesday. His third goal came in the 88th minute with a powerful left-foot shot into the top corner.
The win was only Atletico’s second in the league this season. The team has struggled with one of its worst starts since Diego Simeone became coach in 2011.
Alvarez opened the scoring in the 15th minute and added another in the 80th. Rayo had equalized twice, with Pep Chavarría scoring in first-half stoppage time and Álvaro García striking in the 77th.
Atletico almost went ahead earlier when Giuliano Simeone hit the crossbar in the 82nd. His father, coach Diego Simeone, dropped to his knees after seeing the chance wasted.
After the match, Simeone praised Alvarez. “He is extraordinary, our best player,” the coach said. “We need him at his best.”
Alvarez admitted the team needed the win. “We had been playing well but results were not coming. Today we did things right. We are on the right track,” he said.
The Argentina forward had missed a penalty in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Mallorca. He had not scored since the opening loss at Espanyol. This was his first hat trick since moving to Europe in 2022 and his first with Atletico in his second season at the club.
The victory gives Atletico confidence before Saturday’s city derby against league leader Real Madrid. Madrid is perfect after six matches and sits nine points ahead. On Tuesday, Kylian Mbappé scored twice in a 4-1 win at Levante.
Atletico’s only other league win came against Villarreal. It drew with Elche and Alaves and lost to Espanyol. In the Champions League, it also fell 3-2 at Liverpool.
Simeone said the result was a sign of the team’s spirit. “What’s wonderful about soccer is this. You can be in a complicated moment and then come out and win.”
Rayo, who began the season with three wins from four matches, are now winless in their last three.
