Torres scores as Atletico waves Calderon farewell
Fernando Torres was the fitting match winner as Atletico Madrid waved goodbye to their Vicente Calderon stadium by beating Athletic Bilbao 3-1 yesterday. Atletico were playing their final competitive match at their home for the past 50 years before moving to the new 67,000 capacity Wanda Metropolitano stadium on the other side of Madrid next season.
And fans’ favourite Torres ensured Atletico got three points to go along with a carnival atmosphere with a double inside the opening 11 minutes. Torres, 33, volleyed home Antoine Griezmann’s cushioned header to open the scoring before kissing the Atletico badge. Three minutes later Griezmann was again involved as this time his pass was headed into Torres’s path by Koke for an acrobatic finish.
Torres, who is in his second spell at the club having broken into the first team as a teenager back in 2001, could yet leave Atletico this summer with his contract set to expire in June. And he was denied potentially the perfect send-off when a spectacular goal-line clearance from Aymeric Laporte prevented Torres from completing his hat-trick. Torres was replaced moments later to a standing ovation before the visitors threatened to spoil the party when Inaki Williams rounded off a fine team move 20 minutes from time.
However, Angel Correa added a third for Atletico a minute from time. Atletico had already secured third place in La Liga for a third straight season, but defeat in what is expected to be coach Ernesto Valverde’s final game before taking over at Barcelona next season means Bilbao miss out on qualifying for the Europa League. Real Sociedad leapfrogged their Basque rivals into sixth thanks to Juanmi’s 93rd minute equalizer in a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo. Villarreal sealed fifth place with a 3-1 win at Valencia.
SEVILLA SIGN-OFF WITH FIVE-GOAL FLOURISH
Vitolo and Franco Vazquez each scored twice as Sevilla ended their season with a 5-0 thrashing of Osasuna in what is expected to be Jorge Samapoli’s last game in charge. Sampaoli has publicly recognised his desire to take the vacant role as Argentina boss to aid the two-time world champion’s faltering World Cup qualification campaign. “There’s a clear intention from my country to have me as coach and, since I was young, it’s something that has appealed to me,” Sampaoli said on Friday.
Despite a disappointing dip in form in recent months, Sevilla have overall had a successful season in finishing fourth under Sampaoli and gave their campaign a final flourish by sweeping aside already relegated Osasuna. Vitolo tapped home the opener after just 10 minutes when Salvatore Sirigu could only parry Joaquin Correa’s shot. Vazquez then slotted home his first from Sergio Escudero’s cross before Steven Jovetic rifled in a third before half-time. Mariano’s teasing cross was blasted home by Vazquez on the hour mark and Vitolo rounded off the scoring with the sort of fine solo run and finish that has seen him become a transfer target for Atletico Madrid. — Agencies