By SABC Sport
24th December 2023
The contest, initially set to be played in September but postponed due to weather, remained goalless until after the break when Diego Simeone - celebrating his 12th anniversary as Atletico boss - swapped Nahuel Molina for Llorente.
His side were ahead barely a minute into the second half after Llorente, who initially saw a cross blocked by Sergio Ramos, benefitted when the interception's rebound favourably landed at his feet at the edge of the six-yard box and he fired into the far corner.
Fellow replacement Caglar Soyuncu was sent off following a VAR check just four minutes after his 66th-minute introduction for a tackle on Lucas Ocampos, but Atletico nevertheless managed to nullify the visitors' threat and cling onto victory, leaving them level on 38 points with fourth-placed Barcelona but with the advantage on goal difference.
There was no action in the Bundesliga or Ligue 1, which both resume their campaigns in 2024.