Athletic Bilbao 0 - Atlético Madrid 2

Athletic: Iraizoz; Iraola, Aitor Ocio, Ustaritz (Llorente 86'), Del Horno; Javi Martínez (Vélez 49'), Muñoz; Etxeberría, Susaeta, David López (Cuéllar 73'); Aduriz. 4-2-3-1.
Atlético: Leo Franco; Seitaridis, Perea (Zé Castro 46'), Pablo, Pernía; Reyes (Luis García 65'), Maniche, Raúl García, Simao (Maxi 60'); Agüero, Diego Forlán. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Athletic: Ustaritz, Muñoz, Etxeberría for Amorebieta, Murillo, Llorente / Atlético: Simao for Maxi.

Goals:
0-1. 11. Agüero. Cut in past two defenders and fired low shot inside near post.
0-2. 77. Forlán. Latched on to loose ball outside area and curled shot past Iraizoz.

Atlético Madrid posted their claim for a place in the title race with a 0-2 victory at Athletic Bilbao, a second win in a row which takes them up to fifth. Twin strikers Agüero and Forlán did the damage, the former leaving Ustaritz and Aitor Ocio for dead before firing a low shot past Iraizoz in the eleventh minute. Etxeberría and Susaeta went close at the other end, but Reyes fired over and Iraizoz had to save from Agüero before the break.

Athletic felt themselves unlucky not to level the scores early in the second half when Aitor Ocio volleyed the ball into the net, only to see it ruled out for a dubious offside. But with just under a quarter of an hour to go Forlán latched on to a loose ball in midfield to crashing home a first time shot from over thirty yards out. The Basque side tried their hardest after that, and an injured Leo Franco put in a brave performance with all three changes already made. But Atlético had their win, and Aguirre looked relieved that things are coming good at last.