Madrid (AFP)

A clear domination, a 3-0 victory and the final podium which is approaching: Atlético Madrid had an ideal evening, Friday against Mallorca at the opening of the 34th day of the Spanish Championship, thanks in particular to a double of Alvaro Morata.

The Spanish international striker had however started his match badly, with a missed penalty in the 25th minute. Pushed from behind, into the box, by Aleksandar Sedlar, he wanted to take the law into his own hands, but his shot was stopped by Manolo Reina.

Except that a Mallorcan player had entered the area before the penalty was drawn, which gave Madrid a new chance. Morata, courageous, did it again and, this time, deceived Reina with a shot in the full skylight.

The striker doubled the mark just before the break. Ideally served in the area by Marcos Llorente, he only had to push the ball into the empty goal (45th + 4).

With a lucky shot from Koke, countered by a Mallorcan defender and thus deceiving Manolo Reina, Atlético added a third goal late in the game (76th) for a quiet victory.

The score could have been much more severe for Mallorca, if Yannick Ferreira Carasco (18th, 42nd) and Joao Felix (23rd, 30th, 34th) had been more realistic in front of goal.

- Majorca remains relegated -

The 20 year old Portuguese had a very bad evening. Missed opportunities, missed passes, lack of punch, all this led to his replacement from the 56th minute, head down. The 126 million euros spent last summer by Atlético to snatch it from Benfica seemed to weigh very heavy on its shoulders.

Conversely, a Majorcan has floated: Takefusa Kubo, on loan from Real Madrid. Already attractive against FC Barcelona for the resumption of the championship, the 19-year-old Japanese once again displayed his talent against a great European.

But the trajectories of Joao Felix and Takefusa Kubo are very different from those of their clubs.

This victory gives Atlético (3rd, 62 pts) five points ahead of its closest pursuer, Seville, and approaches the players of Diego Simeone for the final podium.

Conversely, Mallorca continues to struggle at the bottom of the ranking. A few days after a clear (and rare) 5-1 victory against Celta Vigo, the Balearic club relapsed with this fifth defeat in seven games since the resumption.

Majorca thus remains 18th, 5 points behind the 17th and first non-relegation, the Celta Vigo precisely. A year after his accession to La Liga, the return to the second division is approaching.

Result of the 34th day advanced match:

Atlético Madrid - Mallorca 3 - 0

Saturday

(15:00 GMT) Celta Vigo - Betis Seville

(5.30 p.m. GMT) Valladolid - Alavés

(8:00 p.m. GMT) Granada - Valencia CF

Sunday

(12:00 GMT) Athletic Bilbao - Real Madrid

(15:00 GMT) Espanyol Barcelona - Leganés

(5.30 p.m. GMT) Osasuna - Getafe

(8:00 p.m. GMT) Villarreal - Barcelona

Monday

(5.30 p.m. GMT) Levante - Real Sociedad

(8:00 p.m. GMT) Seville - Eibar

© 2020 AFP