MADRID — Julián Álvarez scored a second-half winner as Atletico Madrid moved back into third place in the Spanish league with a 1-0 victory at Mallorca on Sunday.
That left Atletico one point behind second-place Real Madrid, which routed Osasuna 4-0 at home on Saturday with a hat trick from Vinícius Júnior. Atletico moved two points ahead of Villarreal, which defeated visiting Alaves 3-0 on Saturday.
Leader Barcelona, which sits six points ahead of Real Madrid, visits Real Sociedad later Sunday. Madrid has played fewer matches after its visit to Valencia was postponed because of the deadly floods in the Valencia region.
Álvarez scored Atletico's winner in the 61st minute after Giuliano Simeone's assist. Simeone, the son of Atletico coach Diego Simeone, beat a defender to a long pass and set Álvarez for an easy strike from close range.
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak had another solid performance for Atletico, which earned its seventh clean sheet in the league this season, the most by any club.
Atletico was coming off a 2-1 midweek win at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Betis draws late
Marc Bartra scored a stoppage-time equalizer as seventh-place Real Betis salvaged a 2-2 home draw against 10th-place Celta Vigo.
Celta had moved ahead with Anastasios Douvikas' goal in the 82nd.
The visitors earlier took the lead through Javi Rodríguez in the 13th before Vitor Roque equalized for Betis in the 40th.
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