Atletico Madrid move four points clear of Real Madrid ahead of El Clasico

Atletico Madrid increased the pressure on Real Madrid by beating Deportivo La Coruna 1-0 on Saturday and moving four points ahead of their city rivals before the eagerly awaited El Clasico.

Julian Alvarez scored the only goal of the match in the 48th minute, converting a precise cross from Alejandro Grimaldo at the far post. The result lifted Diego Simeone’s side to 25 points and strengthened their position in second place in La Liga.

Barcelona remain top of the table on 27 points, while Real Madrid have 21. Atletico Madrid’s victory means Real Madrid must now produce a positive result in their meeting with Barcelona on Sunday to prevent the gap to their rivals from growing.

The match was a difficult contest for Atletico Madrid in the first half, but Alvarez struck shortly after the interval to secure three important points in the battle for the leading positions.

The Argentina international has continued his strong run of form, having also scored against Stuttgart in the Champions League in midweek. His latest goal underlined his attacking influence at a crucial stage of the season.

Real Madrid now face additional pressure in the El Clasico. A defeat by Barcelona would make their position in the table more difficult and could see them lose further ground in the race for top spot.

The fixture carries added importance for Real Madrid as they attempt to prevent their main challengers from opening up a significant advantage. Barcelona, meanwhile, will look to make the most of home advantage and the result itself to strengthen their position at the summit.