Málaga: Willy Caballero; Jesús Gámez, Sergio Sánchez, Angeleri (Pedro Morales 76’), Weligton, Antunes; Samuel, Camacho, Sergi Darder, Eliseu (Duda 65’); Juanmi (Santa Cruz 65’). 5-4-1.
Atlético: Courtois; Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Filipe Luis; Arda Turan (Cristian Rodríguez 61’), Koke, Tiago, Oliver Torres (Adrián 46’); Diego Costa, David Villa (Alderweireld 84’). 4-4-2.
Goals:
0-1. 70. Koke. Drove low shot past Caballero after keeper saved from Adrián.
Yellow cards: Miranda 09’, Darder 23’, Tiago 25’, Angeleri 40’, Juanfran 52’, Diego Costa 75’, Cristian Rodríguez 85’, Samuel 86’, Antunes 89’.
Atlético Madrid kept up the pressure on Barcelona with a 0-1 victory at Málaga in the first game of the New Year. A five man defence put up a solid resistance though, and Atleti’s only chances in the first half were a couple of efforts by Juanfran and Arda Turan which Willy Caballero kept out. Weligton and Samuel fired shots just wide at the other end, and Courtois had to save from Eliseu, and after the restart the visiting keeper did well to stop another shot from Antunes. Adrián and Turan replied for the visitors, but with twenty minutes to go Koke got what was to prove the only goal of the game, beating Caballero with a low shot after the keeper could only deflect an Adrián shot in to his path. The win takes Simeone’s side top of the table pending Barça’s game against Elche on Sunday, and the two leaders meet in the Calderón stadium next weekend in the last round of games of the first half of the season, with the honorary title of winter champions at stake.