Atletico Madrid s Spanish midfielder #14 Marcos Llorente vies with Sevilla s French midfielder #24 Boubakary Soumare during the Spanish league football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Sevilla FC at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on December 23, 2023. AFP
In a match postponed in September because of storms, Marcos Llorente scored the only goal one minute after coming on as a substitute at half time.
Llorente pounced when Sevilla centre back Sergio Ramos failed to clear a cross and fired past goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic from an angle.
Not all coach Diego Simeone's substitutions worked out as well.
Caglar Soyuncu, who had replaced Koke four minutes earlier, earned a straight red card after 70 minutes when he ploughed into Lucas Ocampos from behind.
Simeone reacted by replacing Antoine Griezmann with defender Reinildo Mandava.
That left the Frenchman, clearly irritated to be taken off, still tied with Luis Aragones as Atletico's all-time leading scorer on 173 goals.
Griezmann had arrived at the stadium wearing a T-shirt bearing the image of the late Aragones.
Atletico climbed to third in the table, seven points behind leaders Real Madrid and second-placed Girona but ahead of champions Barcelona on goal difference.
Sevilla finish the year in 15th, just three points ahead of Celta Vigo in the first relegation place
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