Atletico Madrid missed the chance to leapfrog Real Madrid into second place in LaLiga on Sunday, as Ivo Grbic's error proved costly in a 1-0 defeat to relegated Elche.

Diego Simeone's men had the opportunity to go one point clear of their city rivals at the Estadio Martinez Valero but their three-match winning run ground to a halt as Fidel Chaves restored some pride for LaLiga's bottom club.

Elche took the lead on the stroke of half-time as Grbic — deputising for the injured Jan Oblak — miscued his punch from Lautaro Blanco's long throw, allowing skipper Fidel to hook his finish into an unguarded net.

Edgar Badia made an excellent one-on-one save to deny Alvaro Morata an equaliser after the break but Elche went closest to a second goal with both Pere Milla and Lucas Boye missing clear chances.

Though Atleti have all but sealed a top-four finish, they have work to do to overhaul Los Blancos, sitting two points adrift of Carlo Ancelotti's men in third with four games remaining.