Red-hot Álvaro Morata scored yet another goal and Atletico Madrid beat Alaves 2-1 for its 14th straight Spanish league victory at home, tying its longest winning home streak.
Morata scored his seventh goal in his last seven games with Atletico, which matched its winning run from a decade ago. Diego Simeone’s team had also won 14 in a row at home between May 2012 and February 2013, while still playing at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.
The victory at the Metropolitano Stadium moved Atletico to third place with 25 points, three behind both Girona and Real Madrid. Madrid came from behind to win 2-1 at Barcelona in the first league “clasico” of the season on Saturday, while Girona defeated Celta Vigo 1-0 on Friday.
Atletico has a game in hand because a home match against Sevilla in September was suspended because of bad weather.
Atletico has won nine of its last 11 league games against Alaves, which stayed in 17th place, just outside the relegation zone. Alaves’ winless streak in the league has reached seven games, with four losses and three draws.
Rodrigo Riquelme put Atletico ahead in the 26th minute and Morata added to his scoring streak in first-half stoppage.
Alaves had no shots on goal until Ander Guevara scored deep in second-half stoppage time.
Atletico was still without a few injured players, including Samuel Lino, Thomas Lemar, Memphis Depay and Reinildo.
Atletico next visits Las Palmas in the league, while Alaves hosts last-place Almeria. Alaves first visits Deportivo Murcia in the Copa del Rey.
BILBAO DRAWS LATE
Athletic Bilbao needed a goal by Álex Berenguer seven minutes into second-half stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 home draw with Valencia.
The hosts took the lead through Óscar de Marcos in the 32nd before Valencia moved ahead with goals by Fran Pérez in the 62nd and Hugo Duro in the 68th.
Athletic Bilbao remained in sixth place in La Liga after a missed opportunity to move to fifth with a win, staying just behind Basque rival Real Sociedad. Valencia maintained its ninth-place position.
Meanwhile, Real Sociedad, in fifth place, missed a chance to pressure the Champions League spots, settling for a 2-2 draw against Rayo Vallecano after conceding a stoppage-time equalizer from Bebé. Isco secured a last-minute victory for Real Betis in a 2-1 win over Osasuna, helping them maintain their seventh-place position in the league.
