MADRID: Portugal youngster Joao Felix scored twice in his first match back from injury as Atletico Madrid routed Osasuna 5-0 away from home in La Liga on Wednesday to secure their biggest win of the season and give a huge boost to their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.

Atleti’s record signing Felix put the visiting side ahead by arriving in the box and drilling the loose ball into the top corner in the 27th minute, scoring again soon after the re-start by nudging home a fine pass from Diego Costa.

Substitute Marcos Llorente stretched Atleti’s lead in the 79th and laid on passes for Alvaro Morata and Yannick Carrasco to complete the drubbing.

The victory took Diego Simeone’s side into fourth place in the standings on 49 points after 29 games, provisionally two ahead of fifth-placed Real Sociedad. Osasuna are 11th on 35.

We have a brilliant squad and if we can keep performing like we did today we can go as far as we want to,” said the Atletico coach.

Atletico had a subdued return to action after Spanish football’s three-month hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic by drawing 1-1 at Athletic Bilbao.

But against Osasuna they produced a defiant response and after edging a difficult first half showed no mercy in the second, obliterating their previous best tally of two goals in any away game this campaign.

Forward Iago Aspas squandered a 71st-minute penalty as Celta Vigo drew 0-0 at Valladolid to remain winless after the break and stay near the relegation zone.

Bilbao followed up their home draw against Atletico with a 2-2 draw at Eibar, missing a chance to move closer to the European places.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2020