Atletico draws blank in Granada stalemate
Atletico Madrid's bid to qualify for the Champions League suffered a setback as it was held to a goalless draw by LaLiga struggler Granada on Thursday (AEST).
The toothless champion moved into second place, but had to settle for a point at the Wanda Metropolitano against a side fighting to avoid relegation.
Atleti lacked a cutting edge in its first game since Joao Felix was ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, Matheus Cunha coming closest to breaking the deadlock when he struck the post late on.
Diego Simeone's misfiring side only had one shot on target as Granada dug in to frustrate them in a drab match that will not live long in the memory.
Yannick Carrasco was Atleti's match-winner in the dramatic defeat of Espanyol on Monday (AEST) and the Belgium winger had an early strike deflected wide after earning a place in the starting line-up.
Rodrigo de Paul had a chance to open the scoring when he was set up by Koke, but Luis Maximiano made a comfortable save diving to his left
Atleti wanted a penalty for Víctor Diaz's challenge on Antoine Griezmann, but both referee Jesus Gil Manzano and the VAR saw nothing untoward late in the first half.
Simeone responded to a disjointed first-half display by replacing Javier Serrano and Reinildo Mandava with Luis Suarez and Sime Vrsaljko at the break.
Griezmann came close with a powerful left-foot drive as Atleti applied the pressure, but Njegos Petrovic flashed a sweet strike just over the crossbar at the other end against the run of play.
Stefan Savic sliced a shot wide before Petrovic tried his luck once again, bending a long-range strike narrowly wide with Jan Oblak no more than a spectator.
The closing stages saw Savic head off target from a corner and Cunha turn sharply before rattling the upright from close range as Atleti were unable to fashion a winner.
