Atletico Madrid vs Espanyol — 4-2 Win for LaLiga Leaders

Lookman scores again as Atletico Madrid beat Espanyol 4-2

Atletico Madrid secure crucial LaLiga win over Espanyol with Lookman's strike, moving six points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis. Diego Simeone's side secure crucial LaLiga win, moving six points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis.

Sorloth wouldn’t be denied though, and a towering header with 20 minutes left put the result to bed...

Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways in LaLiga with a 4-2 victory over Espanyol at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The win puts them six points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis. Espanyol took the lead through Jofre Carreras in the sixth minute, but Atletico Madrid equalized with Alexander Sorloth's goal in the 21st minute. Giuliano Simeone gave them the lead in the 49th minute, followed by Ademola Lookman's strike in the 58th. Sorloth scored his second in the 72nd minute, before Espanyol pulled one back through Edu Expósito in the 80th minute.

Atletico Madrid's attacking response was expected, with Antoine Griezmann and Matteo Ruggeri creating chances, although their interplay wasn't as sharp as needed initially. However, the tide turned with 20 minutes gone, as Marcos Llorente's excellent work set up Alexander Sorloth to score with a clever volley, going back across the keeper.

The goal sparked new life into Atletico's attack, and they began to dominate the game. 

That equalizer sparked a shift in intensity, and Atletico was all over Espanyol from then on, pouring on the pressure.

Griezmann was on fire, getting the ball and hitting a shot that just missed the target - Atletico were getting dangerous. Espanyol, on the other hand, struggled to regain control, needing a miracle to get a point from this one.

But Espanyol's hopes of holding on were dashed just four minutes after the restart. Alex Baena was the mastermind behind Atletico's goal, finding Giuliano Simeone with a perfect pass and letting him score his first home league goal in 10 months.

There was no let up in the pressure, and Ademola Lookman was almost on the goalline when his full-length diving header made it three for the hosts just prior to the hour mark.

It would be the striker’s final contribution, as he was immediately replaced by Julian Alvarez – a scorer in the season-opening reverse fixture.

Unlike that sultry August afternoon though, Espanyol were made to continue chasing shadows, with Atleti in total control. Sorloth’s shot cannoned back off the inside of the post, before Espanyol saw Cyril Ngonge’s exquisite side-foot volley hit the crossbar with their first real chance of the second half.

FT: #AtletiEspanyol 4-2

Victory secured! 💥#LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/4mC2jJO9hX

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) February 21, 2026

Sorloth wouldn’t be denied though, and a towering header with 20 minutes left put the result to bed.

Thiago Almada had a baffling miss from Sorloth's pass - seemed like a sitter. Espanyol got a late consolation through Edu Exposito, but Atletico's win was never in doubt.

Atletico Madrid is now level on points with Villarreal, while Espanyol's chances of top-four finish are slim to none. They're stuck sixth, seven points off Betis with a lot of ground to cover.