Coming into the weekend with a nine-point buffer over fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, Girona travelled to the capital with European qualification firmly within their grasp.
Michel’s side came flying out the blocks, and their positive start was rewarded with an opener inside four minutes when a brilliant team move culminated in Artem Dovbyk tapping home from Yan Couto’s delivery into the six-yard box.
The hosts looked to gain a foothold in the match after that early setback, but it was Girona who came close to doubling their lead as Aleix Garcia fired narrowly wide from long range.
After a disjointed opening half-hour, Atletico were given a golden opportunity to draw level when Miguel Gutierrez was penalised for a handball in the box, allowing Griezmann to step up and fire the resulting penalty into the bottom corner.
Armed with the momentum, Simeone’s side went in pursuit of another goal before the interval, and it duly arrived in stoppage time, as Alvaro Morata’s superb inswinging delivery was glanced into the far corner by Angel Correa.
Determined to press home their advantage, the hosts extended their lead within five minutes of the restart. A loose touch in the box from Jhon Solis was pounced upon by Griezmann, and the Frenchman rifled a clinical strike into the roof of the net for his 21st goal of the season.
Faced with a two-goal deficit, Girona probed for a route back into the contest, but Jan Oblak stood firm in the Atletico goal to deny Yangel Herrera and Garcia.
That was ultimately as close as the Blanquivermells came to a late consolation, with the hosts dominating the closing stages to secure a third consecutive win across all competitions. Girona, meanwhile, will be desperate to bounce back against Cadiz next weekend after a fifth successive away defeat in LaLiga.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
