Atletico Madrid secured a comfortable 3-0 win over bottom-placed Valencia in a LaLiga encounter on Sunday. Julian Alvarez, Antoine Griezmann, and Conor Gallagher scored a goal each for their side in front of the home fans. Before Atletico seized the lead in the 39th minute through a goal from new acquisition Gallagher, who latched on to a brilliant ball from Rodrigo De Paul that was slipped through the legs of defender Cristhian Mosquera, Marcos Llorente, and Samuel Lino came close in the first half of the game.

The goal marked Gallagher’s first since joining Diego Simeone’s team from Chelsea this summer, and it also made the 24-year-old midfielder the first Englishman to score a goal for Atleti in La Liga history. Another summer addition to Simeone’s revamped team, Norwegian Alexander Sorloth, produced a brilliant performance and created a couple of strong chances to find the net. Still, the visiting side’s goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, did well to deny them.

Valencia put up a strong fight to find an equalizer, and though Javi Guerra’s long-range attempt went wide, they were unable to stop the French attacking midfielder Griezmann from scoring nine minutes after the half when Lino’s header found its way into his path. In the 93rd minute, forward player Alvarez, a recruit from Manchester City, added the cherry on top with his first goal in the top division of Spain, finishing off Rodrigo Riquelme’s pass.

This season, Atletico has not lost a single game and has climbed into second place, tied with Real Madrid on 11 points and just four points behind table leaders Barcelona. Atletico will next play RB Leipzig in a UEFA Champions League match at Civitas Metropolitano on September 20, Friday.

I didn’t feel any pressure to score; I simply say that the goal happens as a result of the game and you have to be prepared for when the opportunity comes, Alvarez told Spanish TV. We are doing well as a group; we’re getting off to a good start. Now we have Champions League games coming up, and we have to keep working to keep this momentum going, the 24-year-old Argentine added.

Gallagher came with a lot of enthusiasm, and we needed that kind of player in the midfield because he makes us better. He does not stop giving his best in every game situation in which he participates, Simeone told the media. We all needed Alvarez to score a goal for him to be more relaxed and to be connected to what he likes. Hopefully, the goal will be the first of many, the Atletico manager expressed.

I imagine that he lives for the goal and the enthusiasm to generate this type of situation; today he appeared as he always does at the least expected moment at the end of the game when hope seems to be fading, and luckily, he scored, Simeone concluded.

Meanwhile, Barcelona registered a commanding 4-1 win over Girona on Sunday, extending its perfect start to the season with a fifth consecutive win. Spanish teenager Lamie Yamal starred for Barcelona, giving his side a two-goal lead with fine strikes in the 30th and 37th minutes of the game.

Dani Olmo extended Barca’s lead to 3-0 with a beautiful effort from close range. Pedri found the net with a clever tap-in in the 64th minute to make it 4-0. However, Girona substitute Cristhian Stuani managed to score a consolation goal in the 80th minute of the game.