Eibar 1-3 Atletico Madrid: Mandzukic and Griezmann fire champions to victory

Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic were in sparkling form as Atletico Madrid bounced back from Copa del Rey elimination to beat Eibar 3-1 at a sodden Ipurua.


Diego Simeone's men crashed out of the Copa after a 3-2 home defeat by Barcelona on Wednesday and they were greeted with torrential rain in the Basque Country – initially plunging the game into doubt - but the Liga champions produced an instant response as they cruised in testing circumstances.

Eighth-placed Eibar rarely looked capable of causing a splash on Saturday, with Griezmann's eighth league goal from his last six outings giving Atletico a seventh-minute lead.

The France international was then the architect for Atletico's second, crossing for the equally sharp Mario Mandzukic to prod home.

Mandzukic added his 10th Liga goal of the season in the 27th minute and, sensing the match was already won, a stubborn Atletico sat back and tightened their grip thereafter.

Eibar improved after the break, though Federico Piovaccari's consolation goal came a minute from time and did little to change the outcome as Atletico remain four points off the pace of rivals Real Madrid in the Liga title race.