adminDiego Costa scored twice as Atletico Madrid stretched their winning start in La Liga to eight games with a 2-1 victory over visitors Celta Vigo.The 24-year-old Brazil-born forward made up for a missed penalty by tapping in Filipe Luis’s 43rd-minute cross.
Costa added another in the 62nd minute, his 10th goal in eight league games, before Nolito’s consolation. The win moved Atletico back level on points with Barcelona at the top, five points ahead of Real Madrid.
Costa was the subject of a £21m bid from Liverpool in August but has since extended his contract at the Vicente Calderon until June 2018.
Coach Diego Simeone said: “Costa is our soul. He played a great game. He is constantly growing and can get even better.”
Atletico finished third in La Liga last season after an unbeaten nine-match start to the campaign.
And Celta Vigo manager Luis Enrique believes they are genuine contenders for the title.
“It’s not for me to talk about them, but they are the most dangerous opponent we have faced so far,” he said.
“If they keep playing at this level, it would be silly not to consider them for the title.”
Meanwhile, Alexis Sanchez struck twice and created a goal for Neymar as Barcelona recovered from conceding early to maintain their perfect La Liga start with a 4-1 win at home to Real Valladolid on Saturday.
An eighth victory in eight games for the champions restored their five-point advantage over arch-rivals Real Madrid who needed a Cristiano Ronaldo goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time to secure a 3-2 victory at Levante earlier.
Valladolid forward Javi Guerra silenced the Nou Camp when he headed in a corner in the 10th minute but Barca were level four minutes later when Alexis lashed the ball home from just outside the penalty area.
Cristian Tello squared for Xavi to sidefoot the ball in seven minutes after the break before Neymar sent Alexis clear on the right in the 64th minute and he sent a precise shot into the far corner.
The Chilean returned the compliment by setting up Brazil forward Neymar to make it 4-1 six minutes later as Barca, who have also won both Champions League outings this season, continued their impressive form under new coach Gerardo Martino.
The Argentine is the first coach to win his opening eight matches in La Liga while Barca are the first team to start a campaign with eight victories since Real in the late 1980s.
Real are flying in Europe after resounding Champions League victories over Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen but turned in another disappointing domestic performance at Levante following last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at home to Atletico. They twice had to come from behind at Levante’s Ciutat de Valencia stadium before Ronaldo rifled a 94th-minute shot from the corner of the area and it glanced off a defender before deflecting into the net off a post.-Supersport.
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