Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann scores against Real Betis goalkeeper Antonio Adan. (Photo : Getty Images)
Lowly team RCD Espanyol (10-15-6, 36 points) will continue to try and avoid relegation as it hosts top contenders Atletico Madrid (22-5-4, 70 points) in a 2015-2016 La Liga match on April 9th, Saturday at the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat.
Espanyol is currently at the 13th spot of the league table, only eight points above the bottom three relegation zone with seven matchdays left in the Spanish top flight season. The team managed to have only one loss in their last six outings, enough to keep them away from possible demotion to the Segunda Division next season.
The Periquitos are coming off a 1-1 draw with top eight squad Malaga CF on the road at the La Rosaleda Stadium to keep their hopes of staying in La Liga next season alive, as per SkySports.
Senegalese defensive midfielder Pape Diop scored the first goal in the match at the 11th minute for manager Constantin Gâlcă's side, indicating to their hosts that they are in for a tough afternoon.
Blanquiazules could not hold on to the lead, however, as Los Boquerones equalized it right at the stroke of halftime with a successful penalty kick from Croatian forward Duje Cop to share the point in the overall standings with the visitors.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid crushed last season's Segunda Division winners Real Betis, 5-1, in their match at the Vicente Calderon Stadium, as reported by BBC Sport.
Strikers Fernando Torres and Antoine Griezmann scored one goal each in the first half of play, at the 37th and 42nd minutes, to spark head coach Diego Simeone's team from the kickoff.
Defender Juanfran added another goal at the 65th to make it a 3-0 lead before Béticos forward Ruben Castro scored a consolation goal for his team at the 79th.
Griezmann scored another one at the 81st to complete his double while Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey sealed the win with a stoppage time goal en route to Los Colchoneros' five-goal haul.
Atleti remained at second place, six points behind league leaders Barcelona, as they were able to bounce back from a shocking 1-2 loss to Sporting Gijon in the previous matchday.
The predicted result is a 3-1 win for Atletico Madrid.
Espanyol starting lineup (4-1-4-1 formation): Sabata; Rios, Alvaro, Roco, R. Duarte; O. Duarte; Asensio, Sanchez, Diop, Abraham; Gerard
Atletico Madrid starting lineup (4-3-1-2 formation): Oblak; Juanfran, Monsalve, Gomez, Luis; Gabi, Fernandez, Niguez; Koke; Griezmann, Torres
