Correa strikes to keep Atletico in the hunt

Pressure and respect

The defences enjoyed the upper hand in an evenly-matched encounter in which the respect that the sides have for each other was made apparent from the pressure the players were applying on their opposite numbers. This was particularly evident in the first half, before Atletico went on to dominate after the break in an increasingly open second period.

Sides mirror each other tactically

The fact that both teams approached the match with similar game plans gave rise to a tight, intense opening 45 minutes. The 1-0 scoreline in the reverse fixture offered a suggestion of the way things would pan out at the Vicente Calderon, and indeed this game largely mirrored the previous meeting between the sides. The tactical parallels between both teams serves to illustrate just how similar the footballing philosophies of Diego Simeone and Javi Gracia are becoming.

Talismanic Saul 

The Atletico midfielder once again proved to be a key man here. He tried to pick the pass which would unlock the Malaga backline and looked to spray the ball wide as the chances of making a breakthrough began to look increasingly remote. After the break, he took matters into his own hands and tried to break the deadlock himself with several long-range efforts, but ultimately it was one of his teammates who would put Atletico ahead.

Super-sub Correa

Upon entering the field of play, it took Angel Correa all of five minutes to score and put his side into the ascendancy at the Calderon. The Argentine let fly from outside the box with an effort that beat Guillermo Ochoa with the aid of a deflection off Raul Albentosa. This goal saw Correa take his tally for the season to five and become the division's most prolific substitute.

Juanpi inches away from restoring parity

The Venezuelan forward came within a whisker of drawing his side level, but his 80th-minute effort flew narrowly past the post. In the ensuing minutes, both Charles Dias and Roque Santa Cruz had opportunities to have equalised, but the Rojiblancos held on to claim a 1-0 win.