Atletico are on the front foot now, milking the clock as they look to have done enough to see this one through. There's still time perhaps for one last chance for Espanyol, but they have to win the ball back.
90'
There will be a minimum of three minutes added on at the end of this match.
88'
Granero gets yellow.
A silly yellow card to pick up for Granero as he's booked for dissent, arguing with the referee despite a free-kick decision going his way! This yellow means he will be suspended for their first match of 2019, against Leganes.
86'
This is the last five minutes in 2018 for both sides, who will look to empty their tank in the conclusion of this match ahead of a deserved break. It remains on a knife-edge, with Espanyol throwing everything they have forward in search of that equaliser.
85'
D. Godín gets yellow.
Oblak sees the first yellow of the match for time wasting.
82'
Adrià Pedrosa enters the game and replaces Dídac Vilá.
A final change for Espanyol is a straight swap at left-back as Pedrosa replaces Vila.
81'
Almost everyone is forward for Espanyol as they try and set up camp in and around the Atletico penalty area. They've struggled to break down a stingy Atleti defence in this second half, however, and time is starting to run out on them.
79'
Vitolo wins a free-kick on the left flank following a foul by Rosales, but Atletico opt to play it short as opposed to delivering a cross into a crammed penalty area. The hosts are in no rush here as they look to play keep-away and run down the clock.
77'
Gelson Martins enters the game and replaces T. Partey.
A final change for the hosts sees Martins come on in place of Thomas, who appears to be suffering from a bit of fatigue.
Minute
Description
76'
Into the final 15 minutes and Espanyol are back on the front foot. The tempo had gone from the match for a bit there, following a string of stoppages, but the visitors are getting bodies forward now as they gear up for a final push.
72'
Javi Montero enters the game and replaces Á. Correa.
Óscar Melendo enters the game and replaces Naldo.
A second change in as many minutes for the visitors sees Melendo, an attacking player, replace Naldo. Espanyol are going to have an honest go at it over the last 20 minutes.
Montero, an Atletico youth product at centre-half, comes on with the hosts' second change as he replaces Correa. It's clearly a defensive-minded switch from Simeone, as the teenager comes on for just his third LaLiga appearance.
70'
P. Piatti enters the game and replaces Sergio García.
Espanyol's first change of the match sees Piatti come on at the expense of Garcia. It's a like-for-like swap from Rubi.
67'
Koke just fails to get the decisive touch on a dangerous cross by Correa, before Rosales is able to usher the ball behind at the far post. The ensuing corner is delivered into a dangerous area, but Saul commits a foul in the box as the chance comes to nothing.
65'
Vitolo enters the game and replaces N. Kalinić.
Griezmann will act as more of a false nine as Atletico bring on Vitolo with their first change, at the expense of Kalinic who has struggled to get himself consistently involved up top.
64'
Espanyol are turning the heat up here as they chase a way back into this match. Darder picks out a lovely cross to find Vila, but the full-back's first-time effort is smartly blocked behind by Savic.
60'
Espanyol will be forced to open up a bit more now as they chase an equaliser, but this match is certainly far from over. Atletico have scored the first goal in 11 of their matches this season in LaLiga, but only have eight wins. The visitors have shown potency in attack, suggesting they are more than capable of finding an equaliser.
58'
That goal has been coming since the restart, but it's harsh on Espanyol who are quite unlucky not to at least be level following that penalty. They're going to have to start making good on their opportunities.
56'
Penalty goal scored by A. Griezmann for Atletico Madrid!
ATLETI HAVE THE BREAKTHROUGH! 1-0! Griezmann makes good from the spot, smashing a finish into the roof of the net as Atletico have their lead! It spares the referee's blushes for not playing the advantage moments earlier, denying Correa a goal.
50'
Atletico have asserted themselves early in this second half, seeing the majority of possession but struggling to do much with it as Espanyol continue to keep their shape well. There's just no room to build through the centre.
48'
An early chance for Atletico, albeit not the most threatening, as Kalinic does well to act as a target man before heading the ball neatly into the path of Correa. The winger's shot is unable to trouble Diego Lopez, though.
46'
The second half is underway at Wanda Metropolitano!
45' +1
HALF-TIME: ATLETICO MADRID 0-0 ESPANYOL.
45'
There will be just one minute added on at the end of this first half.
41'
Into the final five minutes of the first half and both sides have tightened things up in defence in an effort not to concede before the break. It's certainly been a tightly contested match and regardless of what happens over the final minutes here it will be delicately poised ahead of the second half.
37'
A high boot from Darder sees Atletico win a free-kick from just over 30 yards out, but nothing comes of it. Espanyol have organised themselves excellently in defence, and they're making the most of their time in attack, but all that's lacking currently is the opener they crave... and probably deserve, too.
35'
Espanyol are showing excellent confidence and resilience here, coming off five successive losses in the league. It would have been easy for them to try and close up shop and play for a draw to try and stop the bleeding, but they're full of belief and have done a great job of taking the match to the hosts.
33'
Vital from Rosales! That's an important piece of defending from the right-back who slides in to deny Correa a clear shooting opportunity from eight yards, on the end of a clever passage of play orchestrated by Griezmann.
31'
One-way traffic at the moment as Espanyol are really taking the game to the hosts. Saul gives the ball away - a rare error from him - which allows a cross to be played in from the right, but Garcia's header lifts over the bar.
27'
Thomas wins Atleti their first corner of the match as they aim to generate a bit of momentum on the front foot. The ensuing delivery eventually comes to Koke on the edge of the penalty area, but he shoots harmlessly wide. Espanyol are defending very well.
23'
The shot count is now four to one in favour of Espanyol, who have certainly looked the more threatening side. The visitors have also worked their way back to 50 per cent possession, with Atletico struggling to get into a higher gear.
21'
Espanyol are enjoying the better of play as they have completely turned this match around following a sluggish start. Rosales and Vila are doing well to provide support on the overlap and the width they've provided has caused Atletico some problems.
19'
It's been a wonderfully combative match through the opening 20 minutes, with Espanyol doing well to weather the early storm and get themselves on a level playing field. This is shaping up to be an excellent contest.
13'
Inviting delivery! Kalinic floats out wide to get on the ball and Koke does well to run forward into the space vacated by the striker. Kalinic clips a lovely delivery in for the midfielder to chase, but it just runs through to Diego Lopez. Back the other way come Espanyol and a wonderfully chipped effort from 20 yards narrowly misses at the far post with Oblak scrambling to get across.
11'
Despite tilting the pitch in their favour, Atletico have been unable to carve out a real threat in attack. Espanyol are slowly pulling themselves into the game as they start to wrestle the ball away in midfield.
9'
Some determined high pressing from Atletico is causing Espanyol problems early on. The visitors have yet to possess the ball in the attacking half as they struggle to break out from the back, constantly giving the ball away with some rushed, careless passing.
3'
Espanyol are having to do some important defending with Atletico applying good early pressure. The hosts get on the front foot quickly after winning the ball in midfield, but Granero tracks back to intercept a ball at the vital moment in the penalty area following a clever one-two between Kalinic and Griezmann.
1'
AND THEY'RE OFF! Atletico Madrid get the match underway at Wanda Metropolitano for the last time in 2018, in their classic red and white stripes, with Espanyol in blue and white.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of this LaLiga match as Atletico Madrid welcome Espanyol to Wanda Metropolitano in the Spanish capital!
Atletico have lost just one league match all season, dating back to the first day of September, yet they still find themselves playing catch-up at the top as they trail leaders Barcelona by three points ahead of the break.
LaLiga goes idle for the next fortnight following matchweek 17 ahead of the festive period, which puts extra emphasis on Diego Simeone’s side to claim maximum points today ahead of a crucial match with second-place Sevilla at the start of 2019.
Espanyol find themselves trapped amidst mid-table obscurity, moving up or down a few places with every result because of how congested things are in LaLiga at the moment.
They have done nothing but plummet of late, however, losing five in a row in the league for the first time since the start of 2009. It has put some added pressure on them to try and end the skid before the break and generate a bit of momentum ahead of the new year.
CONFIRMED TEAM NEWS:
ATLETICO (4-4-2): Jan Oblak; Santiago Arias, Stefan Savic, Diego Godin, Saul Niguez; Angel Correa, Thomas Partey, Rodrigo, Koke; Nikola Kalinic, Antoine Griezmann.
SUBS: Joaquin Munoz, Borja Garces, Juanfran, Gelson Martins, Francisco Montero, Vitolo, Antonio Adan.
ESPANYOL (4-4-2): Diego Lopez; Roberto Rosales, Oscar Duarte, Naldo, Didac Vila; Leo Baptistao, David Lopez, Sergi Darder, Esteban Granero; Borja Iglesias, Sergio Garcia.
SUBS: Oscar Melendo, Marc Roca, Roberto Jimenez, Adria Pedrosa, Pablo Piatti, Victor Sanchez, Hernan Perez.
An early storm from Atletico Madrid was weathered by Espanyol, who went on to enjoy the better of that first half, coming very close to the opening goal through Borja Iglesias and Leo Baptistao. All three of Atleti's shots on target have come via Antoine Griezmann, but the hosts have struggled to really trouble Diego Lopez.
It's unlikely either coach will be pondering a substitution just yet, with the match brilliantly poised ahead of the final 45 minutes. Atletico were able to snatch a bit of momentum back towards the end of the half and Diego Simeone will be hoping that trend continues, while Rubi has to be pleased with what he's seen from his side thus far.
That's all for our live coverage, thanks for following along. Goodbye!
Commentary
More…