Two goals in each half from Tiago, Saul, Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic led league champions Atletico Madrid to a resounding 4-0 demolition of league leaders Real Madrid in a Spanish La Liga match on Saturday.
The return of reigning Ballon d’Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo from suspension was far from enough to keep Real Madrid from falling to a fourth defeat in six matches in the hands of their city rivals.
Atletico got off to a blistering start, with Mandzukic setting up Tiago for the opener which trickled through Iker Casillas’ legs into the net in the 14th minute.
Substitute Saul Ñiguez – who came on for defender Diego Godin who went off with a bleeding nose early on – then doubled the advantage for the home side with an exquisite overhead kick from close range just four minutes later.
Frenchman Antoine Griezmann made it 3-0 in the 67th minute with a near-post tap in before Mandzukic sealed a memorable day for Diego Simeone’s side by heading in Fernando Torres’ cross for the fourth a minute to the end.
The emphatic win sees Atletico remain in third, though Simeone’s side is now four points behind Real Madrid that will remain top of the league regardless of other results this weekend.
Second placed Barcelona however can now go within a point of Real by winning at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, with Luis Enrique’s men heading into the match on the back of an eight-match winning run.
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