Victory at all costs

 A great victory of a superlative for Atletico Madrid in El Sadar. Simeone's team shone through with a solid and effective team performance with each and every one of the players who took the field of play contributing. Osasuna had few chances and when they came, Courtois was on top form.

Diego Costa returned to a stage where he had scored his first hat trick in the Premier League two seasons ago and it seemed that the Brazilian was intent on repeating the feat. The start was promising for both sides with three early chances. The first, for Atletico, with a dangerous cross into the area from Arda which was destined for Falcao but Andres Fernandez arrived first. 3 minutes had elapsed and the next chance fell to Oier who got his head on a cross before in the 7th minute a Masoud shot scraped the post.

From that moment Atletico Madrid knew took control of the game an limited the Osasuna chances. Step by step, inch by inch, Atletico grew in to the game but they had to wait until the 34th minute before opening the scoring. Gabi found Koke unmaked and the youngster picked out Diego Costa who made it 1-0 to the visitors.

That was how the first half ended and Atletico Madrid made sure the game was beyond the team from Pamplona and in the 47th minute, Diego Costa on one of his mot succesfull grounds struck again. A free kick delivered by Koke was met at the back post by Miranda who headed the ball back across the goal for the Brazilian to fire home. The goal really knocked the stuffing out of Mendilíbar’s side and put Atleti well and truly in the driving seat.

Atletico were looking to kill the game by scoring the third goal and a header from Falcao went close and Koke almost finished things off with a spectacular effort that the keeper deflected wide. The visitors managed to play out the rest of the game and collect an important 3 points coupled with a clean sheet on the road. A good result at a difficult ground like El Sadar.