MADRID: Atletico Madrid survived the dismissal of Mario Suarez and held on for a 1-0 win at struggling Granada on Sunday that trimmed the gap to La Liga leaders Barcelona back to three points.
Barca’s 3-1 victory at home to Real Zaragoza on Saturday put them six points clear but Atletico stayed close on their heels thanks to Arda Turan’s goal and despite losing midfielder Suarez to a second yellow card midway through the second half.
Diego Simeone’s side have a club record 31 points after 12 matches, one more than when they last won the title with the combative Argentine in the side in 1996.
Champions Real Madrid are third on 26 points, still eight adrift of great rivals Barcelona, after thrashing Athletic Bilbao 5-1 at the Bernabeu on Saturday.
Granada midfielder Gabriel Torje hit the post for the home side in the first half at Los Carmenes before Atletico grabbed the only goal of an uninspiring game in the 61st minute.
Turkey midfielder Turan turned the ball home for his fourth goal of the campaign after Koke had crossed from the right.
A first real test of Atletico’s title credentials looms on Dec. 1 with a visit to Real and a trip to Barca two weeks later.
Levante climbed above Malaga into fourth on 20 points thanks to a 2-0 win at Deportivo Coruna earlier on Sunday.
Levante’s Pedro Lopez was dismissed in the 54th minute at the Riazor, but the hosts squandered the resulting penalty and later had keeper Daniel Aranzubia sent off.
In-form Nigeria forward Obafemi Martins fired Levante ahead five minutes before halftime before Lopez was shown a second yellow card for handball in the area shortly after the break.
Riki put his spot kick over the bar and, after Aranzubia’s second yellow for a foul on Martins, Jose Javier Barkero curled in a second for the visitors with about 10 minutes left.
Levante occupy the fourth Champions League qualifying spot a point ahead of Malaga who have 19 after their 0-0 draw at Osasuna on Saturday.
Jose Antonio Reyes scored one of the quickest goals in La Liga history as Sevilla thrashed visiting local rivals Real Betis 5-1 in Sunday’s Andalusian derby.
The former Arsenal and Real Madrid winger pounced on an error by Betis goalkeeper Adrian and smashed the ball into the top corner after 12 seconds at the Sanchez Pizjuan before Federico Fazio made it 2-0 with a fifth-minute header.
Reyes, given a rousing ovation when he was substituted in the second half, made the most of more woeful Betis defending to make it 3-0 in the 33rd minute and then crossed for Fazio to score the fourth two minutes before halftime.
Ivan Rakitic hit Sevilla’s fifth in added time.
Betis are sixth on 19 points with Sevilla a point behind. (Reuters)