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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Atletico Madrid go third with win at Malaga

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BARCELONA: Atletico Madrid beat Malaga 2-0 on Saturday to move into third place in Spain’s first division. Midfielder Koke got the first goal on 26 minutes after receiving the ball from Fernando Torres in the area. Torres also set-up the second goal with a pass for Felipe Luis who made it 2-0 on 74 minutes. It was the full-back’s first goal since 2016 and it secured the three points for Diego Simeone’s team who have now won their last four in the league. Malaga, in contrast, are yet to win under new coach Michel who has suffered two defeats and a draw in his three games in charge.


“We had three or four chances as well as the goals and we were strong at the back,” said Atletico coach Diego Simeone. “We started well but Malaga were dangerous on the counter-attack.


“Then we scored and the game changed because they had the ball more but we did not make any defensive errors.


“There is no time to celebrate. Sevilla are still in a strong position but we are content.”


Fernando Luis added: “We wanted the win but we knew it was going to be difficult after the break for international football.


“We have a lot of players who have travelled a long way in this last week but we got the victory.


“I am happy to help the team win and it’s special for me to score when there are so many players in this team who can score the goals.”


Asked about the battle for third place with Sevilla he said: “We just have to keep thinking about ourselves.


“There is not much of the season left and we have to try to finish in the best way possible.”


Malaga’s Recio was asked about new coach Michel’s failure to get a win since taking over.


“At the moment what is missing is that ability to not make any mistakes during games because these errors are getting punished,” he said.


Sevilla can return to third if they beat Sporting Gijon on Sunday lunch time.


Earlier on Saturday, Aritz Aduriz scored his 100th league goal for Athletic Bilbao in their win over doomed bottom club Osasuna.


Athletic won the game 2-1 and closed the gap on Villarreal who were beaten 3-2 by Eibar, and Real Sociedad who could only draw with Leganes.


Aduriz opened the scoring for Athletic on 12 minutes from Inaki Williams’ pass and Williams got the visitor’s second a minute from half-time.


Sergio Leon scored on 79 minutes for Osasuna but they could not find the equalizer and remain rooted to the bottom of the table with 11 points.


It was a good day for Athletic because the two teams closest to the min the table both slipped-up.


Alexander Szymanowski put Leganes ahead against Real Sociedad before Juanmi Jiménez equalized. It was the third straight game in which LaReal have failed to win.


Athletic are now seventh, two points behind fifth-placed Real Sociedad, and a point behind sixth-placed Villarreal who felt they were robbed in the earlier game at home to Eibar.


Roberto Soriano put Villarreal ahead on 18 minutes but referee Daniel Ocon Arraiz mistakenly gave Eibar a penalty and denied Villarreal on eat the start of the second half to dramatically change the game. First Eibar’s Kike Garcia threw himself down in the area and won a spot-kick which Pedro Leon scored.


Then Eibar defender Florian Lejeune handled in the box but referee Ocon waved away appeals for a penalty.


Eibar took full-advantage of their good fortune with goals from Kike Garcia and Takashi Inui.


Soriano got his second of the game to make it 3-2 but there was no comeback and Villarreal players were very critical of the refereeing post-match.


“I think Kike [Garcia] broke his leg when he won the penalty. Everyone saw that there was no contact at all,” Alvaro Gonzalez said sarcastically.


Villarreal captain Bruno went further, saying: “It was scandalous. Something strange happened. I don’t want this referee again.” — DPA


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