Atletico hammer Eibar 5-0 to reassert title claim

Atletico were missing two of their top forwards in Luis Suarez and Joao Felix but Argentine striker Angel Correa took responsibility in attack, scoring twice at the end of the first half to put the hosts in charge.

MADRID (Reuters) - La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid thrashed basement club Eibar 5-0 on Sunday in an emphatic response to a stuttering run of results which had let their rivals back into the title race.

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Atletico Madrid v Eibar - Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - April 18, 2021 Eibar's Kevin Rodrigues in action with Atletico Madrid's Stefan Savic REUTERS/Javier Barbancho (REUTERS)

Atletico were missing two of their top forwards in Luis Suarez and Joao Felix but Argentine striker Angel Correa took responsibility in attack, scoring twice at the end of the first half to put the hosts in charge.

Yannick Carrasco further stretched their lead soon after the interval before Marcos Llorente struck twice to complete the rout as his side picked up a first victory in three matches after drawing 1-1 at Real Betis and losing 1-0 at Sevilla.

Atletico top the standings on 70 points after 31 games, four ahead of second-placed Real Madrid and five above third-placed Barcelona, who both have a game in hand. Eibar are bottom with 23 points.

(Reporting by Richard Martin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)