VITORIA-GASTEIZ, Spain: Carlos Benavidez’s first-half goal and Luis Rioja’s incredible late strike handed Atletico Madrid a 2-0 La Liga loss away to Alaves on Sunday, denying the visitors the opportunity to solidify their lead in fourth place.
After losing to Borussia Dortmund in the middle of the week in the Champions League, Diego Simeone’s team was far from optimal. They are currently on 61 points, seven fewer than Girona and just three ahead of Athletic Bilbao in fifth place in the race for European slots.
When captain Benavidez pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the box and curled a beautiful low drive past goalkeeper Jan Oblak, the hosts took the lead in the fifteenth minute.
Rioja’s magnificent volley in stoppage time completed the victory, putting the Basque team in 13th place with 35 points—ten points ahead of Cadiz, who are currently in third place—and furthered their escape from relegation.