Sport
Atletico go top ahead of Real-Barca Clasico
Atletico go top ahead of Real-Barca Clasico
AFP/Madrid
Atletico Madrid went top of the Spanish Liga yesterday with a 2-0 win at 10-man bottom team Real Betis, ahead of El Clasico between giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. |
The win in Seville left Atletico level on 70 points with Real but above them on the direct results system which is used in Spain in case of a tie.
Real will need a draw against Barca at 2000 GMT in order to go back on top. Barca are third, four points behind the two Madrid teams.
Atletico should have gone ahead in the 24th minute when Spain striker Diego Costa seemed to have broken the deadlock, only for his goal to be harshly disallowed for offside.
Betis, who are seven points adrift at the bottom and almost certainly doomed, had striker Braian Rodriguez sent off in the 56th minute for handball.
Three minutes later, Atletico’s veteran captain Gabi made it 1-0 with a blistering near-post drive, then Costa sealed the win after being set up by a header from Koke.
Earlier Sunday, Sevilla won 2-1 at lowly Osasuna to move into fifth place.
Promising youngster Jairo gave Sevilla the lead in the 28th minute with a left-foot drive, after being set up by Vitolo.
A bizarre incident just before half-time sealed Osasuna’s fate. Jairo hit the crossbar with a powerful drive, Osasuna defender Damia controlled the rebound but then picked up the ball with his hands, believing he had been fouled by Vitolo.
Instead, to Osasuna’s fury, a penalty was given for handball and Carlos Bacca calmly made it 2-0 from the spot.
Carlos Acuna scored a consolation goal in stoppage time for the hosts who are fifth from bottom.
It was Sevilla’s fifth straight win and took them up to fifth, one point above Real Sociedad, who visit Almeria today.
They are also in the quarter-finals of the Europa League after beating crosstown rivals Real Betis on penalties Thursday.
“The league is our principal objective, so it was important for us to win today. It was not an easy game to prepare, after all the drama of Thursday,” Sevilla coach Unai Emery said.
Osasuna boss Javi Gracia said: “We played really badly today, I have to admit that. Their second goal really killed us off. Up until then, we still had a chance ... Now we will have to really fight for our possible point.”