Atlético Madrid 2 - Mallorca 1

Atlético: Esteban; Contra, Coloccini, Hibic, Sergi; José Mari (Dani 50'), Albertini, Movilla, Luis García (Jorge 64'); Javi Moreno, Fernando Torres (Correa 75'). 4-4-2.
Mallorca: Leo Franco; David Cortés, Lussenhoff, Fernando Niño, Miguel Soler; Novo (Carlos 84'), Lozano, Marcos, Ibagaza (Campano 78'); Eto'o, Pandiani. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Atlético: Esteban, Contra, Movilla, José Mari, Fernando Torres for Mono Burgos, Otero, Emerson, Aguilera, Correa / Mallorca: Fernando Niño, Marcos for Poli, Riera.

Goals:
1-0. 14. Movilla. Shot back over top of defence after corner punched out by keeper.
1-1. 20. Novo. First time low volley from edge of area following wide free kick.
2-1. 61. Luis García. Tap in close to goal after Javi Moreno laid ball across.

A turbulent week at Atlético Madrid, where club president Jesús Gil, his son Miguel Angel and vice-president Enrique Cerezo were all given prison sentences for embezzlement dating back to when the club was converted into a limited company. All three will appeal to the high court, and in the meantime Gil took his seat as normal in the directors' box to mixed reactions from the crowd. The players forgot about that though and went on to beat Mallorca 2-1 to hold on to seventh place and keep tabs on the European spots.

The game started at a lively pace, with twin strikers Javi Moreno and Fernando Torres both testing Leo Franco, and Hibic blocking a shot from Novo at the other end. With just under a quarter of an hour gone the home side took the lead, Movilla demonstrating he can strike the ball with either foot when he fired a left-footed volley into the back of the net after the keeper palmed out a corner. Mallorca claimed a penalty five minutes later when Contra fouled Marcos on the edge of the area, and although they had to make do with a free kick, Ibagaza floated the ball across for Novo to volley past Esteban (substituting for the flu ridden Burgos) from the edge of the area.

Mallorca pushed forward and Eto'o and Pandiani both went close to giving their side the lead. However they were left with ten men before the break after Lozano put in a high tackle on Fernando Torres, and had to retreat. Coloccini sent a header just wide of the post as Atleti took advantage of the extra man, and Luis García scored the winner on the hour mark after Javi Moreno failed to connect with Albertini's pass, but then recovered to lay the ball across to the ex Valladolid winger. Leo Franco prevented Jorge and then Javi Moreno from adding to the lead, and Fernando Niño could have saved a point when his header almost beat Esteban in the dying minutes. In the end though the three points stayed at home, and Mallorca fell to their fifth league defeat in a row.