Despite missing top scorer Luis Suarez and record signing Joao Felix, Atletico dealt bottom-of-the-table Eibar a heavy drubbing.

Angel Correa and Marcos Llorente struck braces either side of Yannick Carrasco's goal, to put Atletico on 70 points from 31 games.

"The important thing is to be able to win, it keeps you calm for the week ahead," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.

"The league season has a very nice run-in and I hope that we can keep growing so it doesn't become monotonous, and Real Madrid and Barcelona always win."

Real, hampered themselves by significant injury and coronavirus problems with Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Eden Hazard and others on the sidelines, struggled at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made several excellent saves to earn a clean sheet and in attack they created little after Mariano rounded David Soria and found the net only for the effort to be rubbed out for offside.

At the other end Jaime Mata hit the post for the hosts and Mauro Arambarri came close with a low effort.

Madrid, who drew with Liverpool in midweek to reach the Champions League semi-finals, lacked energy and stamina in the final stages and could not score a late victory.

"I think it's always hard to play here, we knew what we were in for, but it is what it is," Real defender Marcelo said.

Zinedine Zidane's side are on 67 points, two ahead of Barcelona, who won the Copa del Rey on Saturday against Athletic Bilbao and have a game in hand against Granada to make up.

Fourth place Sevilla came from behind to beat seventh-place Real Sociedad 2-1, while a vibrant Villarreal hammered Levante 5-1 to move up to fifth.

Valencia twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Real Betis, who dropped a spot to sixth.

Rodrigo Battaglia's late goal earned Alaves a crucial 1-0 win over Huesca at the bottom of the table.

The teams are 16th and 17th respectively, level on 27 points with 18th place Real Valladolid.

Osasuna earned a 2-0 win over second-bottom Elche.

Australian Associated Press