The China Mail - Atletico beat Getafe as Abqar sent off for touching Sorloth's crotch

Nahuel Molina's thunderbolt from distance helped third-place Atletico cut the gap to the top two, but the bizarre incident early in the second half involving Getafe defender Abqar was the biggest talking point.

The Moroccan, who insisted he did not mean to touch the Atletico striker's crotch, appeared to pinch the Norwegian, who threw him to the floor angrily.

"It was not my intention to touch the player in this area," Abqar, who was dismissed after a VAR review, told Movistar.

"You see it in very game, and in football, we're touching, clashing and everything, but I never thought about touching him in that area...

"I don't know what the referee saw but you can see it clearly and I swear that I never thought about touching him there."

Abqar explained he was trying to touch Sorloth's stomach, "as you do sometimes to know where your opponent is".

Atletico coach Diego Simeone rotated his line-up ahead of Wednesday's Champions League last 16 second leg trip to Tottenham, but was still able to secure a sixth win in the last seven matches across all competitions.

The Rojiblancos, third, moved within six points of second-place Real Madrid, who host Elche later on. League leaders Barca, fourth points clear of Los Blancos, host Sevilla Sunday.

Defender Molina's superb strike, lashed into the top corner from over 25 yards out after eight minutes, was enough to split the teams at Atletico's Metropolitano stadium.

It was a more taxing clash than their rollicking 5-2 victory over Tottenham in midweek.

Sorloth could have doubled Atletico's lead but nodded Alex Baena's cross against the post at the end of a razor-sharp counter-attack.

Getafe's afternoon took a turn for the worse 10 minutes into the second half when Abqar was dismissed for seeming to grab at Sorloth's groin.

"These are things that happened 30 years ago, the referee was right to sent him off," said Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso.

"Before you could do this (in football), now there is no place for these things."

Despite Atletico's numerical advantage the visitors had the better of the second half and created good chances to equalise.

Mauro Arambarri fired narrowly over when in on goal and Musso made a fine late save to push away Adrian Liso's header in stoppage time.

G.Tsang--ThChM