Torres nets again as Atletico increase pressure on Barcelona

Atletico Madrid 3 Granada 0

Atletico Madrid eased to a 3-0 home win over struggling Granada to provisionally move level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona on Sunday after Fernando Torres grabbed his fourth goal in as many games.

Spain international Koke opened the scoring after 15 minutes and then teed up Torres for the second in the 59th, while substitute Angel Correa rounded off the victory in the 83rd.

Atletico are second on 76 points, level with Luis Enrique’s Barca who host Valencia later on Sunday.

Atletico, boosted by a 2-0 win over Barca on Wednesday which put them into the Champions League semi-finals, started brightly with Koke blazing over the bar moments after kick-off.

The midfielder proved more accurate minutes later, pouncing on a loose ball after Torres’s effort was blocked and drilling a shot into the net.

Granada winger Ruben Rochina hit the post later in the half before Torres eased Atletico’s nerves by notching the second, latching onto a threaded pass by Koke to lift the ball over goalkeeper Andres Fernandez and into the far corner.

Argentine forward Correa came on to replace Atletico’s top scorer Antoine Griezmann and made the most of his cameo appearance by racing onto a pass from Saul Niguez down the left and tucking the ball into the far bottom corner.