Atletico Madrid are finally finding their groove in La Liga and just in time for a city derby against Real Madrid after they strolled to a 3 – 0 win over newly – promoted Huesca on Tuesday .
One victory from their opening four league games left Atletico seven points adrift of Barcelona a fortnight ago but three on the spin have now steered Diego Simeone ’ s side back on track .
This was as routine a three points as they come at the Wanda Metropolitano , where Antoine Griezmann scored early in the first half before going off early in the second , along with partner Diego costa
Thomas Partey and Koke added numbers two and three before the interval as Atleti climb to third . Huesca drop to 18 th .
“ The team is getting better with every game , ” Simeone said . “Against Monaco was good , Getafe better , and today a strong first half allowed us to conserve energy . ”
Griezmann and Costa jogging off with half an hour to spare was the dream scenario for Simeone , particularly given Real Madrid already have one day less rest ahead of Saturday’ s grudge match at the Santiago Bernabeu .
Real ’ s assignment against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Wednesday is likely to be far more demanding too.
Huesca ’ s fate in their debut campaign in the top flight, will be decided against worse teams than Atleti, and probably at home, where their Estadio El Alcoraz holds just over 7 , 000.
When Atletico won La Liga four years ago , Huesca finished seventh in Group Two of Segunda B, the third tier in Spain , beneath Fuenlabrada and Athletic Bilbao ’ s B team.
Even when storming to the title, Simeone ’ s side have hardly been famed for their style of play but their opener here was a triumph for team fluidity .
A sweeping spell of possession ended with Angel Correa slipping Costa through in the penalty area. He pulled back for Griezmann to finish.
If that was a goal for precision , the next was about power . Partey collected the ball 30 yards out and without a challenge , shuffled forward , before unleashing low into the bottom corner.
Two minutes later , it was three. Koke’ s clipped ball over the top evaded both Correa ’ s foot and the distracted goalkeeper Axel Werner on its way into the net . Initially ruled out for offside, the Video Assistant Referee showed Correa was level and the goal stood .
Griezmann went off in the 54 th minute and Costa in the 65 th . Huesca might have had a consolation but Ezequiel Avila diverted over and Juan Aguilera ’ s finish struck the body of Jan Oblak . Atleti can start looking ahead to Real.
AFP.
