Match ends, Atlético de Madrid 3, Sevilla 1.
Atl MadridAtlético Madrid3SevillaSevilla1
Atletico Madrid comfortably beat third-placed Sevilla to move within two points of Jorge Sampaoli's side.
It capped a miserable week for Sevilla after being knocked out of the Champions League by Leicester, who will face Atletico in the quarter-finals.
Diego Godin put Atletico ahead, before Antoine Griezmann scored a rocket of a free-kick and Koke added a third.
Fernando Torres made his return from a head injury, as Joaquin Correa scored a late consolation goal.
Diego Simeone's Atletico are fourth in La Liga, the final Champions League qualification spot, but are now targeting automatic entry to the group stages by finishing in the top three.
They reached the quarter-finals of this season's competition in midweek with a 0-0 draw against Bayer Leverkusen, going through 4-2 on aggregate.
But they rediscovered their scoring touch against Sevilla, who have now failed to win their past three La Liga games.
Captain Godin was left unmarked to head in Griezmann's free-kick on 37 minutes, and the France forward then scored his fifth goal in five games in the 60th minute.
Gabriel Mercado fouled Kevin Gameiro to concede a free-kick 25 yards from goal and Griezmann hammered his shot over the wall and in off the underside of the crossbar.
Torres, who was hospitalised after injuring his head during Atletico's draw with Deportivo La Coruna on 2 March, returned to loud cheers as he replaced Gameiro in the 63rd minute.
Sevilla had been title contenders this season, but have dropped off the pace in recent weeks and are on their longest run without a victory since Sampaoli replaced Unai Emery last summer.
"We've got to try and get our mojo back," said Sampaoli.
Atletico lost right-back Sime Vrsaljiko in the second minute to an injury and the club later revealed the Croatia international has suffered damage to his anterior cruciate ligament and will undergo further tests.
Elsewhere in Europe
- Barcelona beat Valencia in six-goal thriller
- Muller extends Bayern's lead to 13 points
- Cuadrado sends Juventus 10 points clear
- Kluivert Jr gets first Ajax goal in draw with Excelsior
Line-ups
Atl Madrid
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Oblak
- 16VrsaljkoSubstituted forTorres Belénat 2'minutes
- 15Savic
- 2GodínBooked at 66mins
- 3Filipe LuísBooked at 40mins
- 10CarrascoBooked at 55minsSubstituted forGaitánat 83'minutes
- 14Fernández Arenas
- 8Saúl
- 6Koke
- 7Griezmann
- 21GameiroSubstituted forTorresat 63'minutesBooked at 82mins
Substitutes
- 1Moyá
- 9Torres
- 11Correa
- 19Hernández
- 20Torres Belén
- 23Gaitán
- 24Giménez
Sevilla
Formation 5-4-1
- 1Rico
- 3Ferreira Filho
- 24MercadoBooked at 60mins
- 23Rami
- 5LengletSubstituted forJoveticat 45'minutes
- 17SarabiaBooked at 47minsSubstituted forIborraat 64'minutes
- 20Machín Pérez
- 18EscuderoBooked at 23mins
- 15N'Zonzi
- 12Ben YedderSubstituted forCorreaat 64'minutes
- 10Nasri
Substitutes
- 6Carrico Martins
- 8Iborra
- 11Correa
- 14Montoya
- 16Jovetic
- 22Vázquez
- 31Caro Díaz
- Referee:
- Jesús Gil Manzano
- Attendance:
- 49,544
Match Stats
Home TeamAtl MadridAway TeamSevilla
- Possession
- Home39%
- Away61%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away2
- Corners
- Home2
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Atlético de Madrid 3, Sevilla 1.
Post update
Offside, Sevilla. Vitolo tries a through ball, but Stevan Jovetic is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt missed. Steven N'Zonzi (Sevilla) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Sergio Escudero with a cross following a set piece situation.
Post update
Joaquín Correa (Sevilla) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Juanfran (Atlético de Madrid).
Post update
Attempt saved. Koke (Atlético de Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Nicolás Gaitán.
Post update
Vitolo (Sevilla) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Gabi (Atlético de Madrid).
Goal!
Goal! Atlético de Madrid 3, Sevilla 1. Joaquín Correa (Sevilla) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt saved. Fernando Torres (Atlético de Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Filipe Luis with a through ball.
Substitution
Substitution, Atlético de Madrid. Nicolás Gaitán replaces Yannick Carrasco.
Booking
Fernando Torres (Atlético de Madrid) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
(Sevilla) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Fernando Torres (Atlético de Madrid).
Post update
Attempt missed. Stevan Jovetic (Sevilla) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Steven N'Zonzi.
Post update
Attempt saved. Fernando Torres (Atlético de Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Koke.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Stevan Jovetic (Sevilla) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Samir Nasri.
Goal!
Goal! Atlético de Madrid 3, Sevilla 0. Koke (Atlético de Madrid) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Joaquín Correa (Sevilla) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Stevan Jovetic.
