Dressing room celebrates Álvarez's improvement and apology

Álvarez scored against Deportivo de la Coruña and publicly apologized for controversial World Cup comments, with teammates and manager Simeone praising his humility.

Julián Álvarez was the standout performer on Saturday at the Metropolitano, scoring early in the second half to secure Atlético Madrid's victory over Deportivo de la Coruña. The Argentine forward has now scored in his last two matches, continuing an upward trajectory on the pitch.

More significantly, Álvarez addressed the controversy from the World Cup in a post-match interview on Movistar, offering a public apology to the fans. "I wanted to apologize to our people for my words during the World Cup. They were a mistake on my part, both in how I said them and the timing, and especially because I understand the fans' anger. As a supporter myself, I would have been angry too, and especially given how they've supported me all this time," he said.

The dressing room response was overwhelmingly positive. Manager Diego Simeone praised Álvarez's willingness to apologize, calling it a sign of character. "I value people who ask for forgiveness because it's not easy. When they do it from emotion and feeling, I give it great weight. Julián is a magnificent, humble, hardworking, respectful guy who his teammates love," Simeone said. Defenders Robin Le Normand and Jan Oblak also backed the forward, with Oblak expressing confidence that Álvarez would win back the supporters through his performances.