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Diego Simeone s side lost 2-1 to Athletic Bilbao last weekend and were fortunate to avoid another slip-up against relegation-threatened Elche in Sunday s (AEST) contest at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.
Marcos Llorente scored what proved to be the all important goal for Atleti with his 12th league strike of the campaign in the 23rd minute after Luis Suarez had one chalked off for a marginal offside.
However, Elche wasted a glorious chance to snatch a share of the spoils in the 91st minute as Fidel fired a penalty against the post, meaning Atletico move five points clear of Real Madrid and Barca, who both have a game in hand to play.
Benzema scores stoppage-time winner for Real
Karim Benzema scored a stunning stoppage-time winner as Real Madrid’s pursuit of leaders Atletico Madrid was revived with victory against Elche.
Real were stunned in the 61st minute when Dani Calvo thumped home a header. Benzema equalised from Luka Modric’s cross in the 73rd minute. Defeat against Elche was unthinkable, although the strugglers arrived at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium on the back of an impressive win over Sevilla to move out of the relegation zone.
With time running out, the Frenchman produced a glorious angled strike following a one-two with Casemiro.
Real Madrid
Planning his team to face Atalanta in the Champions League
EFE
Atalanta visit the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano,
Zinedine Zidane is trying to work out how to set his
Los Blancos are in a good position in their Champions League tie after
Ferland Mendy s goal without reply in the first leg in Bergamo.
Zidane, then, has the job of coming up with a game plan that can see
Real Madrid safely through to the quarter-finals for the first time in three years.
On Saturday, the French coach tried out a formation with three centre-backs, with the returning
Sergio Ramos being accommodated alongside
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