LALIGA 2023/24: 10-man Atletico edges Sevilla to end mini-slump in Spanish league before winter break

Atletico Madrid, who were playing only 10 players after Caglar Soyuncu recieved a direct red card with 20 mins left in the game defeated Sevilla 1-0 at home on Saturday.

Barcelona: Ten-man Atletico Madrid edged Sevilla 1-0 at home on Saturday to ensure it entered the Spanish league winter break still in touch with the front-runners. The game in Spain's capital was originally scheduled for September but was postponed due to a forecast for bad weather.

Halftime substitute Marcos Llorente made an immediate impact by scoring just a minute after the restart. Atletico then defended with poise while playing a man down for the final 20 minutes after substitute Caglar Soyuncu received a direct red card in the 70th.

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  ¡𝑽𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑴𝑶𝑶𝑶𝑺, 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑷𝑶𝑶𝑶𝑶𝑶! pic.twitter.com/KIlBWKSVbn

  — Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) December 23, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

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  ¡𝑽𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑴𝑶𝑶𝑶𝑺, 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑷𝑶𝑶𝑶𝑶𝑶! pic.twitter.com/KIlBWKSVbn

  — Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) December 23, 2023

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  ¡𝑽𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑴𝑶𝑶𝑶𝑺, 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑷𝑶𝑶𝑶𝑶𝑶! pic.twitter.com/KIlBWKSVbn

  — Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) December 23, 2023

When you come off the bench you always try to give your team something extra, Llorente said. We only had winning on our minds. Now it is time to disconnect and then we are right back at it. Real Madrid and surprise package Girona are at the top of the standings with a seven-point lead over Atletico and Barcelona one round before the competition reaches its halfway point.

Atletico had been in a bit of a slump after winning just one of its previous four league games. Llorente used exquisite control of a long ball from Koke Resurreccin before finishing off a rebound of his own pass to beat goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.

Soyuncu was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Lucas Ocampos after the Turkey international had been on the field for four minutes. Atletico defender Reinildo Mandava went on as a late substitute in his first appearance since needing surgery to repair a torn right-knee ligament in February.

Sevilla was playing its second game under new coach Quique Snchez Flores. It beat Getafe in his debut on Tuesday. Sevilla is three points above the relegation zone in 15th place. Atletico's next game is at Girona on Jan. 3, a day before Sevilla hosts Athletic Bilbao.