Atletico Madrid faced a challenging match on Sunday, conceding three goals for the first time in the current league season. Regardless, they triumphed over Sevilla with a score of 4-3, thanks to two goals from Antoine Griezmann, marking their ninth consecutive victory under coach Diego Simeone. With this win, Atletico Madrid maintained their position in third place, now holding a three-point lead over fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao, who had previously beaten Villarreal the same day.
The match commenced with a bang for Atletico when Rodrigo De Paul struck an impressive opening goal just 10 minutes in. However, the tide shifted as Sevilla’s Dodi Lukébakio, Isaac Romero, and Juanlu Sanchez netted three goals, putting Sevilla in a commanding 3-1 lead early in the second half. Atletico played in front of a surprisingly subdued home crowd, as some fans were absent due to a ticket dispute, which seemed to affect the team’s morale.
Despite the odds, Atletico demonstrated their characteristic determination and quickly initiated a comeback. Griezmann initiated the rally by scoring in the 62nd minute. After a flurry of substitutions by Simeone, Samuel Lino found the net with a powerful low shot from outside the box, equalizing the score. Griezmann later secured the victory with a decisive goal in stoppage time. This victory brought Atletico’s points total to 35, placing them just one point behind local rivals Real Madrid and three points shy of league leaders Barcelona.
After the match, Griezmann reflected on the struggles the team faced, stating, “We struggled to get into the game. We missed the support of the fans behind the goal. But in the end we managed to come back.”
In another match earlier on Sunday, Athletic Bilbao solidified their fourth-place standing with a convincing 2-0 win against Villarreal, who is competing closely for a Champions League spot. Aitor Paredes opened the scoring with a header from a corner kick in the 14th minute, followed by Iñaki Williams netting a second goal midway through the second half. Despite celebrating their fourth straight league win, the match was overshadowed by a collective silent protest from a specific group of fans dissatisfied with the club’s president. This unrest resulted in players not acknowledging the supporters post-match.
“Our victory feels bittersweet, and this is a time for unity,” commented club captain Óscar De Marcos. He noted the significant silence during the game and emphasized the need for the team to focus on their performance.
Earlier in the day, Real Sociedad enjoyed their own successful outing, overcoming Leganes 3-0 at the Butarque stadium and achieving their fourth consecutive win. Brais Méndez, fresh off scoring a decisive goal in their Copa del Rey match, opened the scoring for Sociedad. Later, substitute Ander Barrenetxea marked his first goal of the league season, further extending their lead, while Mikel Oyarzabal sealed the game with a third goal in stoppage time. This win allowed Sociedad to climb to sixth place in the rankings, surpassing Osasuna, who had a 2-2 draw with Alaves.
In the Osasuna versus Alaves match, Kike Garcia quickly put Alaves on the scoreboard with a diving header just 37 seconds in. Despite this, Osasuna responded strongly with goals from Ante Budimir and Rubén García early in the second half. Garcia later netted another goal to equalize the match at 2-2. Though Alaves secured their first point with new coach Eduardo Coudet, they remain in a precarious 15th place without a win in their last five outings.
