Atletico Madrid secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo in the Spanish league on Thursday, setting the stage for their upcoming derby against Real Madrid. The winning goal came in the 90th minute from Julián Álvarez, who capitalized on a well-placed cross by Antoine Griezmann. Álvarez, Atletico’s significant offseason signing, emphasized the importance of securing the three points regardless of the scoreline, acknowledging the tough challenge Celta Vigo presented.

Diego Simeone’s squad remains two points behind second-place Real Madrid as they gear up for a highly-anticipated match at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Sunday. Both teams are in pursuit of league leaders Barcelona, who have maintained a perfect record with seven consecutive wins so far this season. Despite facing difficulties in creating scoring opportunities, Atletico clinched the victory thanks to Álvarez’s decisive goal, his second since joining from Manchester City.

Celta Vigo, on the other hand, has struggled in recent matches, suffering four defeats in their last five outings. Their attacking efforts were repeatedly thwarted by Atletico’s reliable goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who put in another solid performance. Prior to the win against Celta Vigo, Atletico had drawn against Rayo Vallecano but managed to claim victory in their three previous matches across all competitions.

Following the Madrid derby, Atletico Madrid’s focus will shift to a Champions League clash against Benfica next Wednesday. Meanwhile, Villarreal continued their strong start to the season with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory against Espanyol, courtesy of a brace from Ayoze Pérez. The win keeps Villarreal in contention near the top of the Spanish league, with Pérez now tallying six goals in seven matches, closely trailing Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski in the top scorer race.

In a separate match, last-place Las Palmas managed a 1-1 draw against Real Betis, extending their winless streak to 21 league matches dating back to last season. Despite taking an early lead through Alberto Moleiro’s goal, Las Palmas were pegged back by a first-half stoppage-time equalizer from Giovani Lo Celso. With only Getafe joining Las Palmas in the league without a win this season, the pressure is mounting for both teams to secure a much-needed victory soon.

The Spanish league action continues to deliver drama and excitement, setting the stage for more thrilling encounters as teams jostle for crucial points in the ongoing campaign.