Yannick Carrasco scored one goal and created another as Atletico Madrid advanced to the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday with a 2-0 victory away to Salzburg.
Atletico won for just the second time in six Group A matches to clinch second place behind defending champions Bayern Munich and end Salzburg’s hopes of reaching the knockout phase for the first time.
Mario Hermoso’s goal just before half-time put Diego Simeone’s side ahead in Austria before Carrasco added a late second for the Spanish league leaders.
Atletico nearly fell behind inside two minutes against the Austrian champions as Mergim Berisha came a whisker away from giving Salzburg the lead, the Germany Under-21 international’s low curler striking the post.
While their defence has been watertight in La Liga, conceding just twice in 10 games, Atletico have proved far more vulnerable on the continent, and Salzburg repeatedly threatened in the opening stages.