Atletico seal Champions League qualification after win over Elche

MADRID: Atletico Madrid secured qualification for the Champions League on Wednesday as a 2-0 victory away at Elche guaranteed their place in La Liga’s top four.

Matheus Cunha and Rodrigo De Paul were both on target as Atletico pulled six points clear of Real Betis in fifth, with two games left to play. Atletico also have the superior head-to-head record over Betis.

Sevilla, though, failed to make sure of their top-four spot as the team’s poor end to the season had earlier continued with a goalless draw at home to struggling Mallorca.

Atletico look likely now to finish third and although the defense of their league title has been hugely disappointing — they are 14 points behind Real Madrid — Diego Simeone’s side have at least avoided missing out on the Champions League, which for a while seemed a very real possibility.

“I’m happy for the players,” said Simeone. “It’s been an up and down season, with a Champions League when we competed very well and a La Liga where we haven’t been able to maintain our consistency.

“It’s not what we imagined but we have achieved the objective — the Champions League for another year, which is very important for the club.”

In December, Atletico lost four league games in a row for the first time ever under Simeone, before defeat by Levante, who sat bottom of the table, prompted crisis talks between coach and players in February.

But five consecutive victories in March proved crucial and while there has been another dip in recent weeks, Atletico have done just enough to seal Champions League qualification for a 10th consecutive year.

Cunha gave Atleti the lead in the 28th minute as Antoine Griezmann picked out Renan Lodi’s run down the left and Cunha was in the right place to divert in