Atlético Madrid 1 - Real Sociedad 0

Atlético: Leo Franco; Molinero, Perea, Pablo, Sergi (Salva 46'); Marcelo Sosa (Raúl Medina 67'), Colsa; Gronkjaer, Ibagaza (Nuñez 93'), Antonio López; Fernando Torres. 4-2-3-1.
Real Sociedad: Riesgo; López Rekarte, Labaka, Brechet, Rossato; Aranburu (Barkero 73'), Mikel Alonso, Karpin, Uranga (De Paula 73'), Xabi Prieto; Kovacevic. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Atlético: Sergi for Jorge / Real Sociedad: Brechet, Uranga for Luiz Alberto, Nihat.

Goals:
1-0. 25. Antonio López. Got on the end of Gronkjaer cross to shoot into top of net.

With five of the top six failing to win, Atlético Madrid closed up on the European spots with a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad. They struggled at first though as the Basque side, missing Nihat for the first time since his serious knee ligament injury, failed to convert several chances. In particular Nihat's replacement Gari Uranga had a shot saved by Leo Franco and put another effort wide before Antonio López got what was to be the only goal of the game, sweeping in a long cross from Gronkjaer past Riesgo with his less useful right foot, the ball taking a slight deflection off López Rekarte on it's way in.

Labaka headed wide from close up and Kovacevic thought he should have had a penalty when brought down by Leo Franco before the break, but the visitors went in at the break behind. Atlético manager César Ferrando brought on Salva at half time and the striker tested Riesgo a couple of times with headers But the best chance of the second half fell to Fernando Torres, who held off three men to shoot against the post, but couldn't turn in the rebound when it fell kindly for him. Ibagaza also missed a sitter late on after Torres set him up, and Gronkjaer was booked for diving when he fell in the penalty area under a challenge from a defender.

Real ended the game with ten men after Rossato was sent off for a foul on Torres in injury time, a decision much protested by the Basque players as Molinero had been let off a couple of minutes earlier for a worse foul on Barkero. But the three points stayed at home, and Real find themselves once more only three places of the drop zone.