09.01.2010
Four-star Atletico get Recre loss out of their system


Atletico Madrid put their midweek Kings Cup shambles behind them with a convincing 4-0 win at Valladolid. Goals from Jose Jurado, Diego Forlan, pictured in December 2009, Jose Antonio Reyes and substitute Sergio "Kun" Aguero secured Atletico's first win at Valladolid since 1997 although they stay in 11th position, 10 points off the desired Champions League places.
Coach Quique Sanchez Flores was seething after Atletico's 3-0 first leg cup loss to second division Recreativo Huelva on Wednesday and read the riot act to his players and they responded by blitzing Valladolid.
Goals from Jose Jurado, Diego Forlan, Jose Antonio Reyes and substitute Sergio "Kun" Aguero secured Atletico's first win at Valladolid since 1997 although they stay in 11th position, 10 points off the desired Champions League places.
Flores dropped Argentine forward Aguero to the substitutes bench while Czech centre-back Tomas Ujfalusi was suspended after his sending off in the Recre disaster.
With 16 minutes gone Atletico took the lead with Reyes coming from deep on the left before cutting the ball back for Jurado to convert.
Flores was out of the dug-out punching his fist in delight and the second goal came on 32 minutes through Forlan.
The Uruguayan showed great strength to shrug off his marker and finished with aplomb as Valladolid were undone on the counter attack again.
It has been a tough season for Forlan and this was his first league goal since the beginning of December and only his fifth of the season compared with the 32 he plundered last season to collect the 'Pichichi' crown for the league's top-scorer.
Close to the hour mark Reyes wrapped up the game with an impressive drilled volley into the bottom corner for his first goal of the campaign.
Valladolid should have had a penalty on 73 minutes but instead Marquitos Barreno was booked for diving to infuriate the home crowd.
Aguero made it four in the final minute to cap a miserable night for Valladolid who hover three points above the relegation zone.
Later on Saturday Sevilla aim to build on Tuesday's Kings Cup win at Barcelona by beating Racing Santander at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium.
Sevilla have lost their last two league matches but victory over Santander would push them from fifth to third.
With injuries and the African Cup of Nations denying them key players Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez has been active in the transfer market signing wing-back Marius Stankevicius on loan from Sampdoria.
Villarreal host struggling Almeria in Sunday's other late match at El Madrigal hoping to build on an impressive draw against Barcelona at Camp Nou in their last league outing.
Leaders Barcelona go in search of their first win of 2010 at promoted Tenerife on Sunday.
Barcelona drew 1-1 with Villarreal before losing 2-1 to Sevilla at Camp Nou on Tuesday in the first leg of their last 16 Kings Cup tie but coach Pep Guardiola insists it is nothing more than a blip.
"I don't feel the team is having a dip," said Guardiola. "Sometimes you have to lose a game to take stock of things."
Real Madrid, two points behind Barcelona, entertain fourth-placed Real Mallorca on Sunday in the standout fixture of the weekend.
Real fired blanks in a 0-0 draw at Osasuna last time out but welcome back Brazilian Kaka who has been sidelined with a groin injury and not played since the 1-0 defeat at Barcelona on November 29.
"We will take it step by step with Kaka as he hasn't played for a long time and isn't ready to play 90 minutes," said coach Manuel Pellegrini.
Source: © 2010 AFP - Pedro Armestre
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