First Division - Day 38

Atlético Madrid 2 - Celta 0

Atlético: Oblak; Juanfran, Savic, Godín, Filipe Luis; Saúl Ñíguez, Gabi, Augusto Fernández, Koke; Griezmann (Carrasco 74’), Fernando Torres (Tiago 78’). 4-4-2.
Celta: Sergio Alvarez; Jonny, Hugo Mallo, Sergi Gómez, Planas; Marcelo Díaz, Daniel Wass (Iago Aspas 59’); Orellana (Bongonda 72’), Pablo Hernández (Radoja 82‘), Nolito; Guidetti. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 51. Fernando Torres. Acrobatic far post volley after corner came over to him.
2-0. 54. Griezmann. Headed ball back in to net after Torres volley came off bar.

Yellow cards: Gabi 35’, Griezmann 47’, Orellana 66’, Savic 78’, Nolito 78’, Koke 80’, Pablo Hernández 80’, Hugo Mallo 80’, Iago Aspas 84’.

Celta drop below Athletic to sixth after they lost 2-0 at third placed Atlético Madrid, and they will now have to start their pre-season early in order to prepare for the Europa League qualifying rounds. Atleti themselves had dropped out of the title race after their defeat at Levante last weekend, but Simeone still put out a strong line-up in order to prepare for their Champions League final against Real Madrid in a fortnight’s time. Sergio Alvarez had to keep out Saúl Ñíguez, and Godín headed against the bar early on, but Oblak (who needed a clean sheet to equal the best ever performance by a keeper in La Liga) made important saves as well from an Orellana header and a Nolito free kick. Soon after the interval however Fernando Torres opened the scoring with an acrobatic volley after Wass could only head back a corner, and three minutes later Griezmann headed a second after another volley from Torres came back off the bar. Oblak saved again from Nolito after that, and Saúl and Carrasco went close at the other end, but the scoreline remained unmoved.