Leaders Atletico beaten at Bilbao in new title bid blow

La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid’s title bid was derailed again as they were beaten 2-1 at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday by a late goal from Inigo Martinez, offering Barcelona the chance to go top of the table next week.

The defeat handed Barcelona the upper hand in a thrilling race at the top of La Liga.

Martinez’s bullet header from a corner in the 86th minute delivered a knockout blow to Atletico, who had pulled themselves level with a Stefan Savic header in the 77th to cancel out Alex Berenguer’s ninth minute opener.

Atletico lead the table on 73 points but third-placed Barca, on 71 after beating Villarreal 2-1 earlier on Sunday, can take over first place if they beat Granada on Thursday in their game in hand.

“We’re devastated,” said Atleti captain Koke. “We looked to get back in the game in the second half by any way possible, we drew level then they got the winner from a set piece. We just have to keep going and try to win our next game, we badly need to do that.”

Atletico’s defeat adds extra intrigue to a thrilling four-way title race, with three points separating them and fourth-placed Sevilla, who beat Granada 2-1, with five games left. Champions Real Madrid are second on 71 after being held to a 0-0 draw at home to Real Betis on Saturday.

Atletico visit struggling Elche next before a blockbuster game away to Barcelona on May 8.

“We’re still fighting for the title and we believe we can win the five games we have left,” added Koke.

After a poor run of results allowed Real, Barca and Sevilla back into the title race, which had looked like Atletico’s to lose, Diego Simeone’s side calmed their nerves with back-to-back wins over struggling Eibar and Huesca.

They faced an Athletic side without a win in any competition since March 7 and who lost two Copa del Rey finals this month, being hammered 4-0 by Barcelona in last week’s showpiece. But Athletic looked closer to the energetic and intelligent side seen in their first few weeks under coach Marcelino.

Berenguer put them in front with a diving header from close range, reacting quickly after Ander Capa’s cross took a huge deflection off Atletico defender Felipe. They missed several chances to increase their lead before halftime against a passive and disjointed Atletico.

Simeone sprung an attacking triple substitution after the break in search of an equaliser, throwing on top scorer Luis Suarez, record signing Joao Felix and winger Thomas Lemar.

The changes gave Atleti more urgency and led to them dominating most of the second half but they still lacked a cutting edge and struggled to contain Athletic’s counters. The hosts should have doubled their advantage when Jon Morcillo burst up the left flank and found striker Oihan Sancet, who blazed his shot over the bar.

Atletico got a lifeline when Athletic keeper Unai Simon misjudged Yannick Carrasco’s corner and Savic rose to head home, but they could not build on the momentum and Martinez had the final say to increase the pressure on the league leaders.

Sevilla, meanwhile, pushed their case for the title and guaranteed their place in the top four but their win over Granada will be remembered for the bizarre way it ended.

Both teams were made to come back out and play another minute after referee Ricardo de Burgos admitted he blew too early for full-time.

Sevilla’s players had already left and some of them had started to take their kit off, with midfielder Fernando pictured without his shirt on in the stands, shaking his head in disbelief.

Marcos Acuna had to put his boots, socks and shinpads back on.

“The referee stopped it because he thought time was up and then he told us he’d made a mistake,” said Sevilla’s Lucas Ocampos.

“It was finished. I’ve never seen anything like it. We had basically taken our kit off.”

Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui said: “The really important thing is Sevilla has achieved something historic. The effort of these players has been extraordinary.”

Agencies