Atletico dislodge Barcelona from top with Bilbao triumph

Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa attempts an overhead kick during Saturday’s Spanish league clash against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames stadium in Bilbao. Atletico won 2-1. (EPA)

DPA/MadridThe top three—Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid—all won on Saturday, keeping the top of the Spanish Liga table in order. Atletico, who won 2-1 at fourth-place Athletic Bilbao, are top with 76 points from 31 games—one more than Barcelona, who won 1-0 win at crosstown rivals Espanyol. In third place, two points behind Barca, are Real Madrid, who thrashed lowly Rayo Vallecano 5-0 at home with two late goals from record signing Gareth Bale. Atletico went behind in Bilbao after just six minutes when Iker Muniain controlled a long ball from Mikel San Jose and scored with a classy lob. Spain striker Diego Costa—who has been in brutal form all season—calmly made it 1-1 in the 23rd minute after a mistake by Bilbao’s Ander Iturraspe. Costa then had a good penalty claim turned down and came close to giving the visitors the lead on three occasions. Atletico showed character and ambition in going for a win instead of settling for a draw. They reaped their reward in the 57th minute when youngster Koke made it 2-1, stooping to head in a centre from Filipe Luis. Bilbao pressed manfully towards the end with Atletico looking weary, and Atletico keeper Thibaut Courtois did well to keep out a close-range header from Aritz Aduriz. “We played a great game, recovering well after conceding that first goal,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “We are very well placed now, but there is still a long way to go. We don’t have the talent of Barca or Real, but we are a real team.” Atletico’s match-winning hero Koke added, “The boos has told us not to talk about winning the title... Every game is like a final for us now. We just have to take this one match at a time.” “We are aware of how well we played, it was one of the best games we have played in the league. We won the ball back quickly and were very quick to exploit the space for Diego (Costa),” Simeone continued. “The team has excelled in terms of our play, our commitment and intensity to win the game. We continue in an important position, but with the same calm to face the games that are left. “The three points are very important in a very difficult place to come to with extraordinary fans. It is a real football stadium. Given the circumstances it was one of the best games we have played. All the players performed well, including the substitutes. It was a very positive game for us and we are ecstatic with the result.” Atletico next face Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday and also travel to play the Catalans on the final day of the league season. However, as he has all season, Simeone continued to deflect talk of his side going on to win the title. “We are enjoying the situation day by day, minute by minute, training session by training session and game by game. That is how we feel strong and we will continue like that because we don’t want to get away from that line of thinking. “It is not easy to travel away and play with such consistency, but that is what we are doing well. We are very happy and the fans will enjoy this moment. “Now we have to prepare the training session for the match against Barcelona which will be very difficult.” Real Madrid also remain in the hunt for the title as they reacted in style from two consecutive league defeats to beat Rayo Vallecano 5-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu to remain three points adrift of Atletico in third. “We reacted well after two defeats,” said Real boss Carlo Ancelotti. “We played well and our attitude was good, which will serve us well for the next game. “Obviously, we could have been in a better position at this point in the season, but mentally I think we reacted well today and can look forward with optimism.” Ancelotti admitted it was a blow for his side to take to the pitch knowing Atletico and Barca had already come through tough tests earlier in the day. However, he was happy with how they handled they pressure and is hoping it will prove to be a confidence boost ahead of Borussia Dortmund’s visit to the Spanish capital in the Champions League on Wednesday. Also on Saturday, Celta Vigo ended Sevilla’s winning run with a 1-0 home defeat of the southerners, thanks to a late penalty converted by Nolito. The late win took Celta up to 11th and left Sevilla fifth, just one point above Real Sociedad.