Soccer Football - LaLiga - Atletico Madrid v Osasuna - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - January 12, 2025 Atletico Madrid's Giuliano Simeone shoots at goal REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
MADRID (Reuters) -Atletico Madrid claimed a 1-0 home win over Osasuna on Sunday to move top of the LaLiga standings thanks to a second-half goal from Julian Alvarez.
Leaders Atletico Madrid secured their 14th consecutive victory across all competitions, a club record, to reach 44 points, one ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. Osasuna are 11th with 25 points.
"We are very happy (with our streak), we’ve been doing great work, but we have to keep working with humility. Good things will come," Alvarez said.
The hosts dominated the match from the start, and Antoine Griezmann should have put them in front in the seventh minute when he latched onto Nahuel Molina's cross and found the net but the ball had struck his elbow, and VAR ruled it out.
Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera got down to deny Alvarez in the 12th and 36th minute, while a long-range shot from Osasuna midfielder Pablo Ibanez bounced off the woodwork.
Atleti had around 60% possession in the first half and had several chances in the second but struggled to create clear-cut chances before breaking the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half with a clever corner routine.
Griezmann played a one-two with Rodrigo De Paul before crossing to Clement Lenglet at the far post, who headed it down to Alvarez and the Argentine calmly slotted a low shot into the net.
"I had several (chances) in the first half and I was upset at halftime, but I focused on the next chance. It was one of the plays we practiced in the past few days," said Alvarez having scored his 13th goal in all competitions this season.
"It is not easy at all, we have been rewarded after the hard work we put in. But there is still a long way to go to reach our goal, which is to win the league title in May," De Paul said.
Osasuna have now gone seven league games without a win.
"They have 14 straight wins, which shows how difficult it is," Osasuna coach Vicente Moreno said. "We started with some doubts, but we grew into the game and came close to finding a clear scoring chance.
"It’s very hard to create goal opportunities against Atleti. I have to congratulate my players — they played a great game. It would be better if it ended in a draw."
Diego Simeone's side face a gruelling schedule in January, with six matches across three competitions in 18 days. They take on second-tier side Elche on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey and visit Leganes in LaLiga three days later.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)
