Griezmann sets sights on Barca after Leganes quadruple in Liga

Atletico and their French maestro go up against the La Liga leaders on Sunday and will arrive brimming with confidence after subjecting Leganes to a 4-0 demolition, with Griezmann again the star of the show.

His quadruple, fired off in 32 minutes either side of half-time, means he now has seven goals in two games following last weekend's treble against Sevilla, and 12 in his last nine. For comparison, Lionel Messi has hit five goals in the same period.

Atletico have also cut the gap at the top of La Liga to four points, before Barcelona play their game in hand at Las Palmas on Thursday. Leganes stay 14th.

But Griezmann will be the player in focus before the weekend, his form handed extra pertinence given Barca were forced last month to deny they had already struck a deal to sign the 26-year-old.

"I've never scored at Camp Nou. I want to score and to celebrate," Griezmann said. "I want to do something big with my club and my opportunity." After Zinedine Zidane paid the price for resting Cristiano Ronaldo in Real's defeat to Espanyol on Tuesday, Diego Simeone chose not to preserve his own stars as Griezmann, Diego Costa and Angel Correa all started.

Both teams rounded the centre circle before kick-off for a minute's silence in memory of Enrique Castro, the former Barcelona and Spain striker who died on Tuesday.

Leganes almost took an early lead when Gerard Gumbau's long-range effort crashed against the crossbar and Griezmann would have been off the mark sooner had his bending free-kick not also struck the woodwork.