Atletico Madrid moved to within six points of Spanish leaders Barcelona yesterday with a 5-1 home destruction of feeble Real Betis. Atletico coach Diego Simeone had to field a makeshift side because of an injury crisis just three days ahead of the trip to Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
However, lowly Betis never posed a serious threat and veteran Fernando Torres gave Atletico the lead in the 37th minute with a classy finish after being set up by Koke. Four minutes later, Betis keeper Antonio Adan bizarrely let a shot from Antoine Griezmann through his legs to make it 2-0.
Right-back Juanfran made it 3-0, after good work by Angel Correa. The ageless Ruben Castro pulled a goal back for Betis, only for Griezmann to make it 4-1 after being cleverly set up by the impressive Correa. Fellow substitute Thomas completed the rout following more good work by Griezmann, who is in the best form of his promising career.
“We were very sharp today, very fast and precise,” coach Simeone said. Simeone then confirmed that Torres would be leading the Atletico attack in Barcelona.
“Fernando is in fairly good form. He is linking up well with Griezmann...We will be trying to score at least one goal in the Camp Nou.”
The comfortable win left Atletico with 70 points from 31 games, which is six less than Barca, who were due to host third-placed Real Madrid later in a long-awaited El Clasico. Real are 10 points behind Barca and therefore have no choice but to win in the Camp Nou if they wish to stay in the title race.
The heavy defeat at Atletico left Betis in 14th place, just above the danger zone. “This was a very disappointing display indeed,” Betis coach Juan Merino said.
“Some players just seemed to give up at 1-0, and that is completely unacceptable at this level,”  he added.
Level on 34 points with Betis are crisis club Valencia, who crashed 2-1 at defiant Las Palmas despite Rodrigo Moreno giving them a promising early lead.
In a one-sided second half, Jonathan Viera levelled for Las Palmas from a disputed penalty then a clumsy own goal from Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi gave the hosts a valuable win.
Las Palmas are now 11th and practically safe, while Valencia are in a perilous position in 15th place. It was a poor debut on the Valencia bench for Pako Ayesteran, who took over Wednesday from the unpopular Gary Neville.
Ayesteran is Valencia’s third coach in a dreadful season and must now organize the fight against relegation.
Results
Atletico Madrid 5 (Torres 36, Griezmann 41, 81, Juanfran 64, Partey 90+1) Real Betis 1 (Ruben Castro 78)  
Las Palmas 2 (Viera 50-pen, Mustafi 63-og) Valencia 1 (Rodrigo 3)
Played Friday: Rayo Vallecano 2 (Guerra 15, Miku 71) Getafe 0