Luis Suarez scored a set-piece double as Atletico Madrid saw off Cadiz 4-2 to move 10 points clear at the LaLiga summit.
Real Madrid s shock 2-1 loss to Levante on Saturday provided Atleti with a chance to extend their lead at the top and they did exactly that with victory at Estadio Ramon de Carranza.
Diego Simeone s men had trailed in their last two outings, though Suarez opened the scoring with a sublime free-kick in Sunday s clash before Alvaro Negredo equalised.
Saul Niguez s flicked finish and Suarez s penalty gave Atleti some breathing space and, while Negredo s second of the day did make things interesting, Koke finished smartly late on to make certain of an eighth league win in a row.
2 Goals in 1 game
Easy for ! |
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN)
Anthony Lozano glanced wide from a promising Cadiz opportunity and, less than three minutes later, Suarez sent a 28-yard free-kick up and over the wall and into the left corner to give Atleti the lead.
Cadiz were level almost instantly thanks to Negredo, who curled a fine finish beyond Jan Oblak after the ball had ricocheted into his path off Thomas Lemar.
The visitors had won only one of their last eight league games prior to Sunday and it did not take Saul long to restore Atleti s lead with a rather fortunate goal.
Lemar sent in a cross from the right and Saul stuck out a leg, seemingly in an attempt to help the ball on, but instead succeeding in sending it looping over Jeremias Ledesma.
Atleti survived another scare before half-time when a penalty initially awarded for handball against Koke was overturned by VAR due to the midfielder s arm being on the ground when contact was made.
That proved a big moment as Simeone s side converted a penalty of their own through Suarez five minutes into the second half after Marcos Mauro brought down Lemar.
Suarez blazed over when on for a hat-trick and that nearly proved costly as Atletico failed to deal with a ball into the box and Negredo scrambled past Oblak to give Cadiz hope.
Oblak then had to be alert to keep out Negredo s header, but the next goal went Atletico s way, substitute Angel Correa exchanging passes with Marcos Llorente and squaring for Koke to round off the scoring.
What does it mean? Atleti run goes on
Atletico s run of eight successive victories in LaLiga is their best streak since between March and April 2014 (nine victories) when going on to win the title, this latest win moving them 10 points clear of Madrid at the top.
Barcelona also had the chance to move 10 points behind Simeone s charges as they faced Athletic Bilbao later on Sunday, albeit, like reigning champions Madrid, having played a game more.
Simeone s men were not at their best defensively against mid-table Cadiz, but having won 15 of their last 16 matches in the league consistency their title rivals can only dream of they are now runaway favourites to land their second title in eight seasons.
Suarez s set-piece double
Suarez s first goal was just the second direct free-kick he has netted in 303 games in Spanish football, the other coming for Barcelona v Real Betis in August 2016.
The impressive strike, later followed by a clinical penalty, takes the striker to 14 goals in 16 league appearances in his debut campaign at Atletico.
0,88 Only Pruden (1,50) (1) has scored more league goals per game than Luis Suárez (0,88, 14/16) for ever (at least ten goals scored). Brace
— OptaJose (@OptaJose)
Torreira the fall guy
Atletico were without Yannick Carrasco and Mario Hermoso after both tested positive for coronavirus, so Lucas Torreira was handed just a third league start of the season.
The Arsenal loanee lasted just 45 minutes, during which time he lost possession eight times. The arrival of Sime Vrsaljko allowed Llorente to move into the middle and Atletico had a lot more control for large parts of the second period.
Key Opta facts
Negredo has been involved in six goals in his last five home LaLiga games against Atletico (five goals and one assist).
Negredo scored more than once in a LaLiga game for the first time since June 2013, when he hit four for Sevilla against Valencia. He also became the first player to net a double against Atletico in a LaLiga game since Espanyol s Borja Iglesias in May 2019.
Suarez is LaLiga s top scorer in 2020-21 and has netted at a rate of one every 85 minutes in the competition, the best average among players to have scored at least twice this season.
Correa now has six assists in LaLiga this season, putting him joint top in that category alongside Celta Vigo s Iago Aspas.
Atletico have the largest positive difference between expected goals (27.9 xG) and goals scored (40) in LaLiga this season, scoring 12.1 goals more than they would normally be expected to based on the quality of their chances.
What s next?
Atletico return to LaLiga action a week on Monday with a home match against Celta Vigo, while Cadiz travel to Real Sociedad next Sunday.
