In a milestone match for Diego Simeone's 500th LaLiga game as Atlético Madrid manager, the hosts secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Mallorca at home on Saturday, with Samuel Lino and Antoine Griezmann providing the goals.
Lino opened the scoring in the 26th minute with a precise low strike that found the far corner, following an excellent build-up play that began with Giuliano Simeone winning possession at the halfway line. The Brazilian winger's finish demonstrated Atlético's attacking prowess that was evident throughout the match.
The victory carries extra significance as Atlético Madrid climbs to second place in the LaLiga standings with 48 points, just one point behind leaders Real Madrid, setting up an intriguing Madrid derby next weekend at the Bernabeu. The win also marks a return to form in domestic competition for Atlético, who had gone winless in their previous two league games despite showing impressive form in Europe with a commanding 4-1 victory at Salzburg midweek to secure their place in the Champions League round of 16.
While Mallorca showed early promise, they struggled to create meaningful opportunities, failing to register a shot on target in the first half. Goalkeeper Dominik Greif kept the visitors in the game with a spectacular save to deny Giuliano Simeone before the break. The second half saw improved attacking intent from Mallorca, with Sergi Darder and Dani Rodríguez coming close, but their efforts proved insufficient.
The match was sealed in stoppage time when Griezmann, who had earlier missed a point-blank opportunity, cleverly chipped the ball over Greif to score his first LaLiga goal since December's 4-3 victory against Sevilla. The French forward's goal came shortly after Rodrigo Riquelme had struck the crossbar from a free kick.
The victory holds historical significance as Diego Simeone became only the eighth coach in LaLiga history to reach 500 games, and notably, the first to achieve this milestone with a single club since taking charge in 2011. Meanwhile, Mallorca's struggles continue as they remain seventh with 30 points, extending their losing streak to five games across all competitions and still searching for their first goal of 2025.
