Atletico sink Sevilla, Bilbao thump Almeria and Cadiz hold Villarreal
BARCELONA:ATLETICO Madrid cruised to a 2-0 win over a toothless Sevilla on Saturday in La Liga, increasing the pressure on Julen Lopetegui.
Earlier Villarreal, sixth, could not find a way past Cadiz goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma in a 0-0 draw on the road, while Real Valladolid won 3-2 at Getafe and Athletic Bilbao thumped Almeria 4-0.
Marcos Llorente and Alvaro Morata’s goals took Atletico provisionally up to sixth, while leaving the hosts 16th, just a point above the relegation zone.
With only one win from seven league games Sevilla supporters showed their feelings at fulltime, with a chorus of jeers and whistles for their own team at the Ramon Sanchez-pizjuan.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone picked a muscular starting side, with four central midfielders comprising the core, and it paid dividends as his team dominated.
Fresh from firing Spain into the Nations League final four, Morata should have moved Atletico ahead but launched an effort over the crossbar when Koke found him in space.
Marcos Llorente made no such mistake in the 29th minute, receiving the ball from Atletico’s captain on the edge of the area, driving forward and drilling it into the far corner, beyond the reach of Bono.
Morata sent another big chance over the crossbar and Llorente fired into the side netting as Simeone’s side found their groove.
With Atletico dominant, some swathes of Sevilla support began to whistle their struggling side and beleaguered coach, with more joining in at the half-time whistle.
The second half did not improve their mood and, at the third time of asking, Morata delivered. Capitalising on an error from Jose Carmona, forced by the energetic Matheus Cunha, Morata lofted the ball over Bono to double Atletico’s advantage before the hour.
The Moroccan goalkeeper kept the scoreline respectable, tipping Cunha’s strike wide ater a razor-sharp counter-atack, and then brilliantly denied substitute Antoine Griezmann at the near post.
Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak was called into action with 15 minutes remaining, diving fulllength to palm Youssef En-nesyri’s header away.
It was the one scare the Slovenian had during the game and the comfortable win will setle Atletico nerves ater their derby defeat by Real Madrid before the international break.