Atlético earn CL spot for 10th straight year
MADRID, May 12, (AP): Atlético Madrid secured a Champions League spot for the 10th straight season after defeating Elche 2-0 in the Spanish league .
The victory moved Diego Simeone’s team into third place, one point ahead of Sevilla, which earlier missed their own chance to guarantee a berth in Europe’s top club competition next season after a scoreless home draw against relegation-threatened Mallorca.
Matheus Cunha and Rodrigo De Paul scored a goal in each half to leave Atlético six points in front of fifth-place Real Betis with two rounds to go. Betis, which won 3-0 at Valencia on Tuesday, can’t surpass Atlético for the final qualification spot because they lose on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The victory left Atlético with a chance to catch Barcelona for second place and a place in the lucrative Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. Barcelona, which defeated Celta Vigo 3-1 at home on Tuesday, are five points in front of Atlético going into the last two games of the season.
Atlético have made it to the Champions League every time since 2013-14. They reached the final in 2014 and 2016, losing the title-deciding games to city rivals Real both times.They only failed to advance past the group stage in 2017-18. Simeone’s team wereeliminated by Manchester City in this year’s quarterfinals.
SOCCER
Cunha opened the scoring in the 28th minute and De Paul sealed the victory with a shot into an open net in the 62nd after an assist by Antoine Griezmann, who played well despite seeing their scoreless streak reach 17 matches in all competitions.
Substitute Atlético striker Luis Suárez had a goal disallowed for offside in stoppage time.
Elche, sitting in 14th place, have escaped relegation despite the loss, their second consecutive.
Sevilla again missed a chance to secure their Champions League spot in advance at home.
Julen Lopetegui’s team have drawn three straight matches, including the last two at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium. The other home draw also was against a relegation-threated team, Cádiz.