Baena strikes late as Atlético grind out win at Espanyol
Álex Baena scored in the 89th minute to give Atlético Madrid a 1-0 win away to Espanyol on 17 October 2026.
Julián Álvarez laid the ball off. Baena struck from the edge of the box. One clean hit settled a tight night in Barcelona, according to The Guardian.
It could easily have ended level. Espanyol defender Leandro Cabrera struck the crossbar in the first half. Atlético midfielder Marcos Llorente then hit the woodwork with a long-range effort just after the hour. In stoppage time, the added minutes at the end of the match, Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved from Pol Lozano to keep the three points.
The win keeps Atlético second in La Liga, two points behind leaders Barcelona. It was also their sixth straight victory in all competitions, a run that is keeping the pressure firmly on top spot.
For Espanyol, there was a bright moment in defeat. Captain Javi Puado came on as a substitute for his first appearance since January after a long-term knee injury. The home fans had reason to believe, too. Atlético lost 2-1 on their last league visit in August 2025 after Álvarez's opener was turned round by late goals.
The result also sharpens the picture at the top. Real Madrid were fourth going into their home game against Sevilla on the Sunday after 17 October 2026. Their build-up has been noisy.
Coach José Mourinho said on 17 October that if he were Vinícius Júnior he would have left the club in summer 2026, according to The Guardian. The Brazil forward was sent off in the win over Villarreal for hair pulling and given a four-match ban. That suspension rules him out of the Clásico, the meeting of Real Madrid and Barcelona, on 25 October 2026.
It has been a strange few weeks for Vinícius. He signed a new contract tying him to Real Madrid until 2032 after joining the club in 2018. Yet Mourinho substituted him during the 4-3 Champions League win at Roma in the week before the Espanyol game.
What makes this stand out is the timing. Atlético rarely win late without a fight. Here they bent, hit the bar, then found the finish when it mattered most.
