Atletico up to 4th but all eyes on El Clasico
Print Edition
A FIRST-HALF Tiago header set up Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Espanyol as it seeks to get back on track following a stuttering start to the La Liga season.
The Portuguese leapt well and steered a cross from Gabi into the top corner before the break and mid-way through the second half substitute Mario Suarez knocked the ball home from close range.
Antoine Griezmann could have given it a more resounding win five minutes from the end but his shot with the ‘keeper Kiko Casilla beaten came back off the outside of the post.
Atletico moved up to fourth in the table with 17 points from eight games while Espanyol, which struggled against the home side’s physical play, was down at 11th on nine points.
Valencia is ahead of Atletico on goal difference and later takes on Deportivo la Coruna while Sevilla, a point behind, is away at Elche.
Leader Barcelona beat Eibar 3-0, with Lionel Messi scoring to move one goal from the competition’s all-time scorer, on Saturday and Real Madrid swept aside Levante 5-0 as the pair warmed up for the El Clasico this weekend.
Messi is now poised to equal Telmo Zarra’s milestone of 251 goals that has stood since 1955 at Real’s Santiago Bernabeu.
While Messi closed on Zarra, Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo made sure of making his own mark by breaking a record that had stood since the 1943-44 season when Oviedo’s Esteban Echevarria scored 14 goals through the first eight rounds.
The Ballon d’Or holder opened from the penalty spot in the 13th before adding another goal in the 61st, increasing his league-leading tally to 15 goals in eight rounds despite missing one game due to injury.
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