Home LALIGA News Update LaLiga Matches La Liga week 24 recap: Atleti claw back to hold off Getafe in goalfest 

La Liga week 24 recap: Atleti claw back to hold off Getafe in goalfest 

Game Recap

Defending La Liga champions Atlético de Madrid had to buck an early deficit to turn back Getafe in a shootout, 4-3, at the Wanda Metropolitano. 

Diego Simeone’s wards initially took the lead thanks to strikes by Ángel Correa (20’) and Matheus Cunha (27’), but the visiting side struck back with three goals in a 12-minute span, as Borja Mayoral’s 30th minute effort was followed up by a pair of Enes Ünal penalties (37’, 42’). 

Recently awarded as the league’s player of January with his four-goal haul in three league matches, Correa kickstarted the fightback by completing his brace with a header deep into the first-half stoppage time, yet Atleti were reduce to ten before the hour mark as Felipe got a straight red for a foul on Getafe’s Mauro Arambarri. 

However, the fortune favored the home side as Mario Hermoso scored a late winner for the second successive home match. The Spanish sub fired a spectacular overhead kick a minute before full time to keep their Champions League hopes alive. 

Sevilla inch closer to Real Madrid after blanking Elche 

Second-placer Sevilla inched closer to Real Madrid after seeing off Elche, 2-0. 

The Sevillistas were made to sweat by the visiting side at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán but earned all three points with quick strikes in the final 15 minutes of the match. 

The diminutive Papu Gómez broke the deadlock at the 70th minute with a low shot that took a deflection from Elche skipper Gonzalo Verdú. Five minutes later, Rafa Mir headed home a cross from loan signing Anthony Martial to reduce the gap from the league leaders to just four points. 

Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti’s side were left to rue their missed chances following a goalless stalemate away at Villareal. 

Both sides were denied not just by each other, but also by the woodwork multiple times for the whole 90 minutes. 

Barça leave it late to share points with Espanyol 

Espanyol will have to wait longer for a home win against their Catalan rivals after a last-minute equalizer by Barcelona left them to share the points in a 2-2 draw. 

The Periquitos fell behind just 75 seconds in with a Pedri opener, which was pegged back by a wonderful Sergi Darder curler five minutes before halftime. 

At the 64th minute, Darder would turn provider when he picked out Raúl de Tomás for a goal from close range to make it 2-1.

Espanyol were close to end a 15-year drought for a home win against the Blaugrana, which would have been their first ever at the RCDE Stadium, but they were denied by substitute Luuk de Jong with a header in the final minute of stoppage time.