Marcos Llorente scored a fine individual effort as Atletico Madrid claimed their first La Liga victory of the season with a 3-0 win over Girona. (More Football News)
Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente and substitute Koke were on target for Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid at Estadio Civitas Metropolitano
Marcos Llorente scored a fine individual effort as Atletico Madrid claimed their first La Liga victory of the season with a 3-0 win over Girona. (More Football News)
Antoine Griezmann and substitute Koke were also on target for Diego Simeone's side at Estadio Civitas Metropolitano.
Atletico, who began their campaign with a 2-2 draw against Villarreal on the opening weekend, broke the deadlock six minutes before half-time.
Griezmann stepped up and drilled a fierce 18-yard free-kick beyond Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who had been penalised for handball just outside his own penalty area.
Gazzaniga was helpless again within three minutes of the restart, as Llorente embarked on a powerful solo run from just inside his own half, before rifling into the roof of the net from 20 yards.
And Los Rojiblancos sealed the victory in stoppage time following a swift counter that culminated in Llorente crossing for Koke to volley home.
Data Debrief: Griezmann picks up where Suarez left off
Since the 2015-16 season, Atletico have scored 10 goals directly from free-kicks in all competitions, with Griezmann scoring nine of those.
His effort today was the first such goal by a Los Rojiblancos player since Luis Suarez against Cadiz back in January 2021.
Griezmann also continued his personal scourge of Girona. Indeed, that was the midfielder's fifth goal against them in LaLiga (equalling Borja Iglesias), with no player registering more.