Atlético Madrid 4 - Real Sociedad 0

Atlético: Burgos; Gaspar, Lequi, Simeone, Sergi; Novo, De los Santos, Jorge, Musampa (Rodrigo 73'); Fernando Torres (Nano 82'), Nikolaidis (Paunovic 87'). 4-4-2.
Real Sociedad: Westerveld; Potillón, Jauregi, Kvarme, Aranzábal; Xabi Alonso (Alkiza 65'), Aranburu; Karpin, Nihat (Lee Chun Soo 77'), Gabilondo (Barkero 65'); Kovacevic. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Atlético: No change / Real: Potillón, Jauregi, Aranburu, for López Rekarte, Schürrer, Alkiza.

Goals:
1-0. 19. Nikolaidis. Picked up ball on edge of area and rounded Burgos to score.
2-0. 57. Fernando Torres (penalty). after Torres brought down by Westerveld.
3-0. 64. Fernando Torres. Header down into bottom corner from Jorge's cross.
4-0. 80. Simeone. Came from behind to head corner down past keeper.

Atlético Madrid beat Real Sociedad 4-0 in the last of the midweek games to move above their opponents to eighth in the table. Gregorio Manzano's side almost fell behind early on when Nihat lobbed Burgos, but referee Ramírez Domínguez ruled out the goal for a previous foul by Kovacevic. From that moment on Atleti didn't look back, and soon afterwards Nikolaidis put his side ahead when he picked up Jorge's pass and rounded Westerveld to score. And Musampa could have increased the lead just before half time when he was given back the ball by a shaky defence, only to see the Dutch keeper get a fingertip to his shot to push it round the post.

For a few minutes after the break the visitors looked like they might score, with Potillón firing a shot wildly over the bar with the goal at his mercy and Burgos saving from Kovacevic's header. But Jorge put Fernando Torres through at the other end, and the young team captain was brought crashing down by Westerveld as he tried to dribble round him. Ramírez let the keeper off with a yellow card, but Torres made no mistake with his spot kick to make it two.

By now it was all Atlético, and it was no surprise when Torres rose above his marker to head Jorge's cross down into the bottom corner of the net. Denoueix made a double change, taking off Xabi Alonso and Gabilondo, but Alkiza and Barkero fared no better. Simeone was keeping close tabs on Nihat, but when his charge was finally replaced by Lee Chun Soo, the Argentine veteran found time to come up for a corner and head home the fourth. It was a major defeat for the visitors, and with Barcelona and Juventus coming up at Anoeta in the next seven days they have to pull themselves together quickly. Atlético go from strength to strength, and this could finally be the season the fans have long been waiting for.