Alex Baena Scores Twice as Atlético de Madrid Defeat Sevilla 3-1 at Sánchez Pizjuán
Alex Baena scored two first-half goals and Ademola Lookman added a third as Atlético de Madrid earned a 3-1 away victory over Sevilla FC in LaLiga.
First-half dominance at the Sánchez Pizjuán
Atlético de Madrid secured a 3-1 away victory over Sevilla FC at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán on Saturday evening, collecting their second win of the 2026-2027 LaLiga campaign. Manager Diego Simeone adapted his frontline following an injury to Alexander Sørloth and the absence of Julián Álvarez, placing Alex Baena in the central attacking role. The choice yielded an opening goal after four minutes when Kang-in Lee evaded defenders on the right wing and played a precise through ball into the penalty area. Baena met the pass with a low finish across goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos to give the visitors an early lead. Sevilla, who entered the match on maximum points after winning their first two league fixtures under manager Luis García Plaza, struggled to cope with the fluid movement of the Madrid midfield.
Lookman and Baena secure the lead
The visiting side controlled possession through a balanced central pairing of Morten Hjulmand and Pablo Barrios, which allowed full-backs Álex Grimaldo and Marcos Llorente to join the attack. Atlético doubled their lead midway through the first half when Barrios drove forward down the left flank and found Ademola Lookman. The Nigerian forward struck a low shot inside the near post that beat Vlachodimos. Sevilla mounted occasional responses through a Robbie Ure header and a long-range attempt by Kike Salas, but Atlético defender Marc Pubill helped repel the attacks. In the 30th minute, Baena received the ball on the edge of the penalty area after a patient passing sequence and directed a firm strike into the far corner for a 3-0 advantage. Baena missed an opportunity to complete a hat-trick five minutes later when his shot on the turn cleared the crossbar.
- Alex Baena scores the opening goal after an assist from Kang-in Lee
- Ademola Lookman doubles Atlético's lead with a strike at the near post
- Alex Baena curls in his second goal from the edge of the penalty box
- Miguel Sierra scores a volley for Sevilla to reduce the deficit to 1-3
Second-half pressure and defensive finish
Sevilla raised their tempo after the break, attempting to stage a comeback in front of their home supporters. Atlético nearly found a fourth goal early in the second half when Baena set up Lookman for a close-range finish, but the match officials disallowed the goal for an offside position against Baena. Sevilla capitalised on their increased possession and pulled a goal back when Miguel Sierra scored with an unorthodox volley inside the penalty area. The home side maintained sustained pressure throughout the final twenty minutes, trapping Atlético in their own penalty box and unsuccessfully claiming a penalty for a foul on Kike Salas. Diego Simeone's squad held their defensive shape through the closing minutes to secure the three points, recovering from their previous 2-2 draw against Villarreal CF.
