Sporting Gijon slipped into the relegation zone as they were defeated 3-1 by an unconvincing Atletico Madrid side at the Estadio Vicente Calderon.
After an uninspiring opening, Atletico took control with goals from Diego Forlan and Simao Sabrosa which put them two up at the break.
A goal for each side, from Atletico's Sergio Aguero and Sporting's Mate Bilic, within two minutes of the restart promised an exciting second period that never really arrived, though Simao did contrive to get himself sent off in the closing stages.
The result saw Sporting fall to eighteenth, while Atletico climbed to sixth, four points off the Champions League places with five games remaining.