When the referee signaled for a free kick just outside the penalty area, Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez swiftly retrieved the ball and positioned himself to take the shot.

“We’ll keep rotating who takes the free kicks,” Álvarez said. “And it was a great goal.”

Álvarez, who was Atlético's key signing during the offseason, has been exuding confidence recently. He successfully curled the free kick into the net in the 15th minute, marking the first of his two goals in the team's 6-0 victory over Brest in the Champions League on Tuesday—this being Atlético's largest away win in European competition history.

"We will continue to rotate the responsibility for taking free kicks," stated Álvarez, who also scored in the 59th minute.

This marked Álvarez's seventh goal in his last ten matches and his third in the past three games across all competitions. The 24-year-old initially had a slow start to his debut season with Atlético, netting only twice in his first ten appearances.

Ángel Correa contributed two goals for Atletico, while Marcos Llorente and Antoine Griezmann each netted one.

Álvarez emphasized, “In this competition format, it is crucial for us to consistently secure three points and find the back of the net. Accumulating points and goals is vital.”

Atletico currently occupies the 13th position in the 36-team league table. AP