Barcelona // Atletico Madrid moved closer to a first Spanish league title in 18 years on Sunday with a 1-0 victory at Valencia.
Raul Garcia scored with an impressive header in the 43rd minute, and Atletico’s defense did the rest, giving Valencia no chance to rally at Mestalla Stadium.
Diego Simeone's side moved six points clear of Real Madrid, which has a game advantage.
Barcelona trail by seven points before hosting Villarreal later.
Atletico can now focus on the Champions League semifinals when the side travel to Chelsea on Wednesday after a 0-0 draw in the first leg.
Garcia’s ninth goal of the league season kept Atletico on course for their first league title since 1996.
With a better head-to-head record against Madrid, Atletico can now clinch the domestic crown by winning two of their remaining three games at Levante, home against Malaga, and away to Barcelona.
“We have to keep going, but little by little we are believing it,” Garcia said. “The word ‘team’ sums it up. Each player gives it his all and does what he can to help the rest.”
Again, Atletico snuffed out their opponents’ attack for a ninth straight victory.
The pacesetters have only conceded one goal during their winning run, while scoring 14.
Valencia host Sevilla on Thursday needing to overturn a 2-0 loss to advance to the final of the Europa League. Valencia won possession early on as Atletico settled in at the back and looked to strike on the break.
Except for Pablo Alcacer’s shot by the post before the first minute was up, the strategy worked and Atletico pushed forward in search of an opening goal that came just before halftime.
Garcia used an exquisite no-look flick of the head – with his back to the goal – to lift Gabi Fernandez’s lobbed pass over goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and bouncing in off the post.
Atletico’s leading scorer, Diego Costa, had two chances to seal the result in the 51st and again in the 84th, but Guaita saved both shots.
Atletico defender Juanfran Torres was shown a direct red card for tackling Pablo Piatti from behind in stoppage time.
Also yesterday, Almeria fought back for a 2-1 win at nine-man Espanyol to keep alive their hopes of staying in the first division as they moved to within two points of safety.
All of this weekend’s matches observed a minute of silence before kickoff for Barcelona’s former coach, Tito Vilanova, who died on Friday after a long battle with cancer.
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