Atletico Madrid finished their year with a calm, strong statement away from home. Diego Simeone’s team beat Girona 3-0 at Montilivi on December 21, 2025, with three clean, simple moments that showed control: a captain’s milestone from distance, a helpful deflection for a cushion, and a late seal from a star off the bench. The win lifts Atletico to third place in La Liga and tightens the race near the top.

It was a night built on basics: early focus, smart shape, and sharp finishing. It was also another step in a winter run that now shows four straight wins in all competitions and no draws in 14 games (W11, L3). For a team chasing, rhythm is everything. Atletico have it.

Captain’s strike sets the tone in Girona

The opening goal came from a familiar source. In the 13th minute, Koke stepped into a bouncing ball from 25 yards and swept it home. The strike marked his 50th goal for Atletico Madrid, a fitting number for a captain who has been the heartbeat of Simeone’s era. He does the quiet work. He links lines. And here, he broke the game open early.

That early lead mattered. Girona have been stubborn starters; entering this game, their last five La Liga matches were all 1-0 at half-time (three times winning that moment, two times losing). Atletico broke that trend by building a two-goal lead before the break, which removed the need to chase and allowed them to manage the pace.

“Koke’s 50th wasn’t just a goal, it calmed the whole game.”

Gallagher’s touch of fortune gives Atletico control

Atletico doubled the lead in the 38th minute through Conor Gallagher. His shot took a deflection off Vitor Reis and wrong-footed the goalkeeper. It was not a highlight-reel strike, but it was the kind of goal that rewards steady pressure and fast second balls. In these games, a two-goal lead is gold.

Girona, struggling for form, needed a spark to get back in it before half-time but found Jan Oblak in the way. The Slovenian made a key stop from close range against a former Atletico player at seven yards, a moment that kept the mood steady and prevented a tense second half.

“Oblak’s saves won’t trend, but they swung the night.”

Oblak and the back line lock in the clean sheet

After the break, Girona pushed. But Oblak, who has made a career out of the right save at the right time, made another big one with about 15 minutes left, thwarting Alex Moreno to protect the two-goal cushion. From there, Atletico’s shape and timing took over. They slowed the game when needed and picked spots to break.

The clean sheet matters. It is the fourth straight win across competitions and another game that fits Simeone’s model: take your chances, trust your keeper, and close the door. With no draws in their last 14 across all competitions (W11, L3), Atletico are playing on the edge, but they are also making that edge work for them.

Griezmann finishes it off in stoppage time

Antoine Griezmann came off the bench and added the third in the 90+2nd minute. He bent a left-footed finish from the left side of the box after a neat assist from Giacomo Raspadori. For Griezmann, it’s a second goal in as many games, a sign that his cold streak is behind him. For Atletico, it was a simple close: a late goal that rewards good game management and kills off any hope of a late twist.

“If Griezmann is this sharp off the bench, the title race just got louder.”

Why this win matters for the La Liga race

The table looks better for Atletico tonight. They climb to third place in La Liga, above Villarreal, on 37 points after 18 games (11 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses, +17 goal difference). Real Madrid sit second on 42 points, while Barcelona lead with 46. The gap to the top is described as within six points, and the form trend points in the right direction.

Atletico have turned a choppy autumn into a focused December. The core is clear: Koke’s leadership, Oblak’s shot-stopping, and the sparks off the bench. The pieces around them—like Gallagher’s energy and Raspadori’s late assist—are adding depth and new ways to score. That matters in tight away games, where one moment can swing three points.

Girona’s struggle and the game’s turning points

For Girona, this was a hard watch. The early goal forced them to chase, and the second before half-time stretched them even more. They had their moments, but Oblak’s saves at 1-0 and later at 2-0 were the key doors they could not pry open. In the end, the late Griezmann strike was the final note on a night that never truly felt within their reach.

That recent half-time pattern—always 1-0—speaks to how thin the margins have been for Girona of late. Here, Atletico took that margin away early and never let it come back.

Simeone’s blueprint, simplified

Diego Simeone likes games that are clear. Get ahead, defend well, and trust your finishers to make the next chance count. This match checked every box. A captain’s milestone to set the tone. A second goal built on pressure. A world-class keeper’s saves at key times. And a star’s finish to end it with style.

“I’m proud of the work we did today,” Koke told Movistar. It was a short line that summed up a simple idea: plan, effort, and execution. Atletico did not dazzle; they did not need to. They controlled, protected, and punished.

What’s next

With four wins on the bounce and a clean sheet to close the year, Atletico head into the next stretch with belief and options. Griezmann is scoring again. Koke is leading by example. Oblak looks locked in. And the table is tight enough to make every weekend matter.

For Girona, it is about resetting and finding a spark. For Atletico, it is about keeping this steady, winning rhythm. In a title race that will likely be decided by details, nights like this—away, clean, calm—count more than they look.