Atlético Madrid 2 - Valladolid 1

Atlético: Sergio Aragoneses; Gaspar, García Calvo, Lequi, Sergi (Simeone 67'); De los Santos; Aguilera (Novo 22'), Paunovic, Ibagaza, Nano (Gabi 86'); Fernando Torres. 4-1-4-1.
Valladolid: Bizzarri; Torres Gómez, Peña, Jonathan, Marcos; Caminero (Cardetti 89'), Rafa (Ricchetti 53'); Fernando Sales, Figueredo (Chema 53'), Oscar González; Losada. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Atlético: No change / Valladolid: Rafa for Ricchetti.

Goals:
1-0. 24. Fernando Torres. Connected with Nano cross to touch ball past keeper.
2-0. 45. Paunovic. Latched on to loose ball in area and fired shot past Bizzarri.
2-1. 65. Ricchetti. Header from Fernando Sales corner which Sergio couldn't stop.

Atlético Madrid consolidated fifth spot with a 2-1 win over Valladolid. Visiting manager Fernando Vázquez put out a defensive side, with Caminero playing as a fifth defender, to try and snuff out the attacking partnership between Paunovic and Fernando Torres. But it proved ineffective in the first half, with Paunovic heading over early on and Torres giving his side the lead with a spectacular strike from Nano's cross with just over a quarter of the game gone. Paunovic grazed the bar with another header a few minutes later, and then made it two on the stroke of half time after the ball fell loose in the area.

Valladolid's only reply had been a header just wide from Fernando Sales, and Vázquez made changes early in the second half, moving Caminero further forward and bringing on Ricchetti and Chema for youngster Rafa and new signing Figueredo. The move paid off, and twelve minutes later Ricchetti pulled one back with a header from a Sales corner which Aragoneses could only punch into his own net. Atlético were pushed back, and the visitors were unlucky not to save a point when referee Pérez Lasa ruled out a headed goal from Oscar for a non-existent offside, and then Losada hit the post towards the end.

There was still time for Torres to delight the crowd with a brilliant run from the halfway line, but he was unable to finish things off. His side had taken the three points though, and they move three points ahead of their rivals for a place in Europe next season.