In the midst of LaLiga’s current longest unbeaten run, Atletico welcomed a relegation-threatened Almeria eyeing up a comfortable victory.
It certainly started off that way for the home side, when the in-form Griezmann headed home from close range after a well-worked corner routine.
Such early comfort didn’t last long for Diego Simeone’s side, with the visitors levelling midway through the second half via a Jose Maria Gimenez own-goal.
Leo Baptistao, who spent three years at Atletico earlier in his career, broke in behind the defence, with the forward’s strike deflecting off Gimenez, before looping over the head of goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Despite the leveller, Atletico continued to dictate the game on their own terms, demonstrating the control that had seen them establish such a lengthy unbeaten run.
As he had done earlier in the game, it was Griezmann who swept home the hosts’ second of the evening, converting from 12 yards out following Yannick Carrasco’s stylish cutback into the penalty area.
A talisman of late for the Madrid-based outfit, Griezmann had originally looked as if he would be denied by the assistant’s flag, only for VAR to overrule the on-field decision and deem the Frenchman to have been onside.
With their noses back in front just before the break, Atletico’s objective switched towards extending the advantage when play resumed after the interval.
While they may have failed to find a third in the early part of the second half, Griezmann continued to impose himself on the contest by dictating play and coming close to finding the net once more.
Denied firstly by a smart stop by Fernando Martínez in the Almeria goal, the French international would go on to scrape the outside post with a well-timed side-footed effort, before clattering the woodwork once more with a thunderous strike from 10 yards out.
While their inability to kill the game off and net a third goal may frustrate Atleti boss Simeone, he will be pleased his side once again picked up three points, as their quest to finish second in LaLiga continues to gather steam.
They move within two points of city rivals Real Madrid, with a crucial clash against runaway leaders Barcelona up next for Los Colchoneros.
At the opposite end of the table, Almeria’s survival bid may have taken a dent at the Metropolitano, but they still remain three points clear of the bottom-three
Flashscore Man of the Match: Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
