The National Times - Alvarez, Correa net braces as Atletico thrash Sparta in Champions League

The win leaves Diego Simeone's Rojiblancos on nine points from five games in the competition, while Sparta have four.

"Each win makes you happy, especially when the team plays like this throughout the game and scores like today," Atletico coach Simeone told reporters in the Czech capital.

"We really did well today," he added, hailing his team for playing "with high intensity and speed".

Alvarez opened the scoring 15 minutes into the game as he was brought down just outside the box and then curled a free-kick into the top corner of Peter Vindahl's goal.

Marcos Llorente made it 2-0 two minutes from half-time as he chipped the ball towards the goal and Vindahl let it in, visibly fooled by striker Alexander Sorloth's attempt at a glancing header.

Alvarez fired in his second from close range on 59 minutes after a give-and-go with Giuliano Simeone, the coach's son.

Second-half substitute Antoine Griezmann made it 4-0 on 70 minutes with a low shot inside the box following a one-two with Llorente.

Correa rounded off the score with two goals in the final five minutes, first poking in a pass from fellow substitute Samuel Lino and then finishing neatly after a mazy run through the static Sparta defence.

- 'All goals count' -

"The team understood what I want from them from the beginning to the end including the substitutes who played really well as soon as they entered the pitch," said Diego Simeone.

"All goals count. We tried to score as many as possible because it helps with this new format of the Champions League.

"We are always aware the game has 90 minutes and we have to play as best we can," he added.

The 54-year-old Argentinian made six changes following Atletico's 2-1 win over Alaves in La Liga on Saturday, his 700th game across all competitions in charge of the team.

But there was little doubt about the outcome as Sparta only managed a single weak shot on goal through Kaan Kairinen in the opening minute.

Atletico controlled the game, tirelessly testing the wobbly defence of the reigning Czech champions who have now only won two of their last 12 games in all competitions.

Vindahl spared Sparta blushes on several occasions as he stopped close-range efforts from Rodrigo De Paul and Sorloth in the first half and Giuliano Simeone after the break.

Atletico took a second straight away win in the Champions League at Sparta after stunning Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 earlier this month.

With three games to play in the new-format league phase, they next face underdogs Slovan Bratislava at home on December 10.

F.Hammond--TNT