Espanyol 2 - Atlético Madrid 1

Espanyol: Kameni; Ibarra, Jarque, Soldevilla, David García; De la Peña (Morales 86'), Ito; Corominas (Miñambres 64'), Maxi, Oscar Serrano (Amavisca 73'); Dani. 4-2-3-1.
Atlético: Leo Franco; Velasco (Jorge 46'), Perea, García Calvo, Sergi; Marcelo Sosa (Colsa 79'), Luccin; Aguilera, Paunovic (Salva 54'), Nano; Fernando Torres. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Espanyol: Jarque, Soldevilla, De la Peña, Maxi for Lopo, Pochettino, Alex Fernández, Fredson / Atlético: García Calvo, Luccin, Aguilera, Nano for Pablo, Jorge, Ibagaza, Antonio López.

Goals:
1-0. 53. Dani (penalty). After Maxi tripped by Sergi inside area.
1-1. 56. Nano. Free kick from right of area which caught Kameni off line.
2-1. 75. Dani. Picked up De la Peña pass inside area and shot wide of Leo Franco.

Espanyol moved back up to second spot after a 2-1 victory over Atlético Madrid. The two sides came in to the game only separated by a point, the home side in fourth spot and the visitors in sixth. Lotina drafted in De la Peña and had to replace both of his suspended centre backs, and Ferrando made four changes just a few days after his contract was extended for another year.

There were few chances in a tight first half, Dani going closest for the Catalans early on when Leo Franco blocked his shot, and Fernando Torres controlling a ball at the other end but shooting wide. Corominas also had a chance when he ran on to meet Serrano's cross, but Sergi deflected his header back to his keeper.

Most of the action came in the second half though, with Dani opening the scoring from the penalty spot after Maxi was tripped by Sergi. However two minutes later the visitors were level when the otherwise excellent Kameni totally misread a free kick from wide on right by Nano, allowing the ball to pass over his head and in to the net.

Later in the second half Dani was lucky not to put through his own net when he tried to head clear a long cross, and the Atlético players were upset with referee Medina Cantalejo when he failed to spot Jarque deflect a Fernando Torres cross with his arm inside the area. But Dani restored the lead for the locals a quarter of an hour from the end after the defence failed to cut out De la Peña's through ball, giving the Catalans the three points.