New Delhi: Racing Santander put Atletico Madrid under pressure from the first minute at El Sardinero and got their just reward as they ran out comfortable winners.
They hammered Atletico Madrid on Thursday evening to all but secure their Primera status this season and put a huge dent in the Champions League hopes of Abel Resino's men in the process.
Despite coming into the match in the better form, Atletico were second best for the whole encounter and only Leo Franco prevented the scoreline from being even more lopsided than it was.
The Argentine made good saves to deny both the Racing strikers throughout the course of the match but could do nothing to prevent Cristian heading in from close range with just ten minutes gone.
Ezequiel Gary made it two with a header from a free kick soon after and then before the break, Mohammed Tchite capitalised on some comical defending to grab a third.
Even though Diego Forlan scored from the spot to give Atletico a lifeline, Pedro Munitis soon got a fourth with a sublime chip over Leo Franco from the edge of the box.
As injury time approached, Zigic then grabbed his second of the match and Racing's fifth as he latched onto a cross from Colsa to head into an empty net, and humiliate Atletico even further.
With all the teams around them winning before kick-off, Atletico knew coming into the match that only a victory would do, but from the outset they looked nervy and uncomfortable. Racing began to pile on the pressure and with just ten minutes gone it paid off, as they took the lead from Cristian, with Zigic unsurprisingly involved in the air.
The big Serb won the initial header from a free-kick, forcing Leo Franco to tip onto the bar, and Cristian beat the defence to head home from close range. It was the perfect start for Racing and they continued to launch balls into the box, causing the Atletico defenders trouble time and time again.
The visiting side could hardly get the ball and even though Leo Franco made a decent save to deny a Zigic volley, Racing doubled their lead with less than 20 minutes gone. Again the move started from a set piece on the left that was whipped into the box with pace, and this time Garay headed back across goal and into the back of the net to send El Sardinero into ecstasy.
It was no more than Racing deserved and Leo Franco was forced to make more good saves to deny Tchite and Toni Moral as Atletico struggled to get the ball out of their own half. With the interval approaching things got even worse for the visitors too as they conceded a third goal thanks to some comical defending.
First Antonio Lopez was shrugged off by Tchite and then, when it looked as though Tomas Ujfalusi had the situation under control, he managed to gift the ball back to the Racing striker, who poked through the legs of the goalkeeper to make it three. The goal summed up a truly miserable half for the visitors and it was only thanks to some good saves from Leo Franco that they did not trail by more at the break.
After the break it was very much the same story too as Racing continued to look dangerous, with Jose Moraton driving his shot just wide of goal from the edge of the box. The introduction of Ever Banega did help Atletico as they finally managed to control the ball in midfield but they still could not create any early opportunities.
Indeed, when they finally did manage to get back into the match it was from the penalty spot, as Forlan smashed home from 12 yards after Gonzalo Colsa had cleared hauled down Sergio Aguero in the box. The goal seemed to spark some life into Atleti but just a few minutes later, Munitis killed of any hopes they might have had of getting back into the game.
The experienced forward was given too much time on the edge of the box and he expertly chipped over Leo Franco to make it four for Racing. Things got even worse for Atletico too as, with just a few minutes left in the match, Colsa drilled a ball across goal for Zigic to head home, completely unmarked. The Serbian striker received a standing ovation for his contribution as Atletico held on without conceding again.
Racing Santander 5-1 Atletico Madrid
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