Julian Alvarez opened up on his unexpected training ground struggles before netting a stunning free-kick in Atletico Madrid’s victory over Barcelona.

Despite the Argentine's heroics on the big stage, he admitted to a dismal conversion rate behind closed doors just 24 hours earlier.

Success on the pitch is often the result of tireless repetition, but Alvarez has revealed that his preparation for Atletico's high-stakes clash did not go according to plan.

Despite producing a moment of magic to help seal a 2-0 win, the former Manchester City man confessed his accuracy was non-existent in training.

"Yesterday (Tuesday) we practised free-kicks. I took maybe five or six and did not score any. Today (Wednesday) was the day. It came at a key moment, so I’m happy."

Alvarez also said he took a page out of Lionel Messi's book for the free-kick. "I've watched Messi's goal against Liverpool (in May 2019) here (at the Camp Nou) several times," Alvarez said.