Atleti moved up to sixth place in the table with an impressive 3-1 victory over Champions League chasing Villarreal at the Calderón.
The hosts famed front three of Jose Antonio Reyes, Kun Aguero and Diego Forlan got the goals for Quique Sanchez Flores’ side who have now gone four games without defeat.
Atleti started brightly and after Aguero had appealed in vain for a penalty, Reyes fired his side ahead with a wonderful curling left footed effort after five minutes.
The hosts were dominant in the first half hour and should have been further ahead before Villarreal provided a sting in the tail ten minutes before half-time. Giuseppe Rossi matching Reyes’ earlier effort with a fine left foot shot after Santi Cazorla had laid off a free-kick to the Italian striker.
The second-half started in the same manner as the first, Forlan having an effort rightly ruled out for offside and Reyes was denied by Diego Lopez. Meanwhile at the other end Nilmar blasted off target.
Forlan was the next to be denied by Lopez. Firstly, parrying the Uruguayan’s left foot effort before tipping away a fierce volley from 20 yards.
However, Atleti then deservedly sealed the game with two goals in four minutes. Kun Aguero got the goal his all round performance more than deserved and again there was a touch of quality about it. The Argentine beating Mateo Musacchio to Filipe Luis’ delightful through ball before beautifully lifting his effort over Lopez.
Forlan got the third moments later with a cute finish after a neat one-two with Reyes.
Atleti should have made the result even more comprehensive in stoppage time, Juanfran scuffing wide with the goal at his mercy after more wonderful unselfish play from Forlan before the Uruguayan fired across Lopez and wide of the target in the final act of the game.
A deserved victory for a fluid and highly entertaining Atleti who are now very much back in the hunt for a European place. Another defeat for Villarreal means they have only won once in their last six league outings but remain 10 points clear in fourth place.
Atlético Madrid 3 (Reyes 5, Aguero 68, Forlan 72) – Villarreal 1 (Rossi 34)
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