Diego Simeone’s side began the match in 23rd place in the league table, just inside the play-off places, and looking to make it two European wins in a row after defeating Paris St-Germain in their previous match.
This was Sparta’s first competitive match against Atletico, and former Manchester City forward Alvarez ignited the game in the first half with a superb free-kick into the upper corner. Marcos Llorente grabbed a deserved second for the opponent before halftime, and despite having plenty of possession, the hosts were unable to trouble Atletico.
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Alvarez and Correa score braces as Atletico defeat Sparta in Champions League
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Alvarez scored his second and team’s third goal midway through the second half, gathering Giuliano Simeone’s pass in the box and hammering it past Peter Vindahl.
On his 100th Champions League appearance, Antoine Griezmann added a fourth goal, before fellow substitute Angel Correa scored twice in quick succession late on to add to the visitors’ dominance. Atletico now has nine points from their first five matches, level with eighth-placed Aston Villa despite having played one more game. The top eight teams will automatically advance to the knockout stage, while teams finishing ninth through 24th will face a play-offs.
