Atlético Madrid consolidated its fourth qualifying place for the Champions League on Saturday by winning against its pursuer Athletic Bilbao (3-1) on the 33rd day of La Liga.
A success which allows the Colchoneros (4th, 64 points), left behind in the title race due to their poor away results, to push the Basques back six lengths, five days from the end of the season.
Diego Simeone’s men opened the scoring with a little success, on a blocked volley from the Argentinian Rodrigo de Paul (15th, 1-0), before the Spanish winger Nico Williams equalized in a subsequent counterattack. from a bad pass behind Antoine Griezmann (45th, 1-1).
A goal celebrated forcefully by the Basque striker, even though the match was interrupted a few minutes earlier, when he reported having been targeted by racist chants from Madrid supporters.
“I went to take a corner and I heard monkey noises. In truth there were only a few and there are stupid people everywhere,” Nico Williams told DAZN after the match, so that Spain is still struggling to stem racism in its stadiums.
The only team to have beaten Diego Simeone’s team this season at the Metropolitano (in the semi-final of the Copa del Rey), Bilbao thought they would be able to repeat this feat but were caught after returning from the locker room with a sublime deep pass. de Koke taken over by Angel Correa to give the Rojiblancos the advantage (52nd, 2-1)
Atlético then had success to seal its victory with an unfortunate own goal from goalkeeper Unai Simon (80th, 3-1), after a strike from Samuel Lino which bounced off his right post.
Girona very close to the Champions League
Earlier in the afternoon, Girona moved a little closer to a historic first qualification for the Champions League by winning in Las Palmas (2-0),
The Catalans (2nd, 71 points) temporarily overtake their neighbors FC Barcelona (3rd, 70 points), who host Valencia on Monday, and take thirteen points ahead of Athletic Bilbao (5th).
Long in the title race with Real Madrid before collapsing in 2024, Girona is now almost guaranteed to be among the top four and participate in the C1 for the first time in its history.
Despite a first missed penalty, the Ukrainian Artem Dovbyk converted a second (57th) to make the break and consolidate his place as top scorer in the championship with a 19th unit.
At the bottom of the standings, Almeria became the first team mathematically relegated to the second division after their 3-1 defeat against Getafe, which placed the Andalusian team 17 points behind Celta Vigo, first non-relegation, with only 15 points to collect.
