Atletico Madrid climbed into provisional top spot in LaLiga with a battling 1-0 home win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday thanks to a second half strike from substitute Julian Alvarez.
Diego Simeone’s side top LaLiga with 56 points, Atletico came close to taking the lead in the first half through Alexander Sorloth, who missed a header from Antoine Griezmann’s pass and again from Giuliano Simeone’s cross.
Before the break the Norway striker tried another header from Nahuel Molina’s cross but failed to convert once
Nico and Inaki Williams also came close for the visitors, but the brothers could not find the back of Jan Oblak’s net.
Alvarez, who came on for Atletico just before the hour mark, eventually scored the goal in the 66th minute with a precise left foot shot after being played through by Marcos Llorente.
Bilbao never gave up and almost equalised in the Late minutes when substitute Gorka Guruzeta met Yuri Berchiche’s cross in the centre of the box but his shot flew wide.