The victory at a festive Calderon, Atletico’s 11th in 12 matches this season, trimmed the gap to unbeaten leaders Barca back to one point and restored their five-point advantage over city rivals Real in third.
Champions Barca, 1-0 winners at home to Espanyol in Friday’s Catalan derby, have 34 points, with Atletico on 33 and Real, who beat Rayo Vallecano 3-2 on Saturday, on 28. Villa, who joined Atletico from Barca in the close season, opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a well-taken volley and Costa raced on to a Koke through ball seven minutes later and finished clinically past Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
It was the Brazil-born forward’s 13th La Liga goal of the campaign, putting him level at the top of the scoring chart with Real’s Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo.
Valencia, ended a run of three successive defeats and eased the pressure on Serbian coach Miroslav Djukic when they won 1-0 at Getafe.
Champions Barca, 1-0 winners at home to Espanyol in Friday’s Catalan derby, have 34 points, with Atletico on 33 and Real, who beat Rayo Vallecano 3-2 on Saturday, on 28. Villa, who joined Atletico from Barca in the close season, opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a well-taken volley and Costa raced on to a Koke through ball seven minutes later and finished clinically past Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
It was the Brazil-born forward’s 13th La Liga goal of the campaign, putting him level at the top of the scoring chart with Real’s Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo.
Valencia, ended a run of three successive defeats and eased the pressure on Serbian coach Miroslav Djukic when they won 1-0 at Getafe.