Atlético's hell from heaven in seven days

It's been a trying seven days for Atlético Madrid coach Quique Sánchez Flores. Just two weeks ago his side sat sixth in La Liga with 20 points, four shy of Villarreal in third and fresh from a roaring 4-2 win at Real Sociedad's Anoeta stadium- less-than-fertile ground for visiting teams to sow seeds of victory this season. Qualification for the knockout stages of the Europa League also appeared within reach with only Aris Thessaloniki standing between the reigning champion and progress with a group game to spare.

Atlético, though, has penned its own Greek tragedy before, as it did against Apoel Nicosia in last year's Champions League, a campaign few at the Calderón care to remember. Level on points with Aris this year- which holds the advantage in head-to-head results- Atlético needs Rosenburg, which has as many goals to its name as points- three- to invoke Aris' own god of war in Greece and get a positive result from its trip to group leader Bayer Leverkusen.

Forlán: "We go through these situations every year. It's just a week"

Back-to-back Liga losses to Espanyol and Levante have left Atlético stranded on 20 points in eighth, Mallorca and Sociedad gratefully leapfrogging the princes of inconsistency in the table. "We go through these situations every year," said Diego Forlán. "There are no explanations. Soccer is like that and there are good moments and bad moments. It's just a week, nothing more." Sánchez Flores was more frank: "We've gone from heaven to hell in a week."

Meanwhile, Real Sociedad has used its return ticket from the tormented pit of Segunda to good effect, capping a fine return to Primera with its first Basque derby win since 2004 over Athletic, late on Sunday. Home-grown hero and one-club man Xabi Prieto opened the scoring from the spot and held his nerve even when punctilious finger-pointing referee Ramírez Domínguez ordered the kick retaken for Prieto's stop-start run-up- the latest fad in Liga officialdom. Little matter that Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz was two feet off his line.

A memorable game for the Txuri-urdin was a living nightmare for Athletic defender Mikel San José, who conceded the penalty and then hammered a scorching shot past Iraizoz from a Prieto cross to seal his side's fate. "I'm still looking down the table," said Real coach Martín Lasarte from his side's lofty sixth position. For Real fans, there is nothing more satisfying than noting Athletic there.