Atletico Madrid's faint hopes of chasing down runaway Liga leaders Barcelona suffered a fresh blow on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Girona, meaning they could fall 11 points behind the Catalans by the end of the weekend.
Atletico midfielder Saul Niguez, however, criticised his side for not showing enough ambition early in the game.
After falling 2-0 down on the night, substitute Marcos Llorente struck twice in extra-time and Alvaro Morata added a late third to ensure a famous victory for Diego Simeone's side against a Liverpool team unbeaten in their last 25 home games in European competition.
In the dying minutes of their Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid, a thunderstorm rolled in and drenched Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon stadium.
Diego Simeone has opened the door to the possibility of leaving Atletico Madrid in the next two years after announcing on Friday that he had reduced his contractual commitment from 2020 to 2018.
Atletico Madrid failed to build on Wednesday's notable Champions League success against Juventus when they were beaten 3-1 at a resurgent Valencia in La Liga on Saturday.
Manchester City squandered a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday.
If Atletico Madrid win a first Champions League title by beating city rivals Real Madrid on Saturday they will become the most successful team in the club's history, eclipsing the La Liga and King's Cup double winners of 1996.
It was Messi's 30th goal in 39 competitive games against Atletico
Atletico Madrid crashed out of the Copa del Rey to Girona on Wednesday following a highly entertaining 3-3 draw at home to the Catalan side, who sneaked through to the quarter-finals on away goals after the tie finished 4-4 on aggregate.
New Atletico striker Diego Costa, whose transfer from Chelsea was agreed this week, watched on from the stands as both sides hit the woodwork in the opening 20 minutes of an even first period.
Barcelona thrashed Real Betis 5-1 on Wednesday to book their spot in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
Atletico Madrid's problems deepened as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Villarreal in La Liga on Friday, stretching their winless run to four games in all competitions.
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City beat champions Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday to extend their lead to 18 points and leave the London side further adrift from the Champions League qualification spots.
The Kolkata-based franchise, partly owned by La Liga club Atletico de Madrid for the first three seasons, had earlier this month split from the Spanish club.
Manchester City came out on top in an epic Champions League battle against Monaco whereasAtletico Madrid beat hosts Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in a topsy-turvy encounter.
Spanish prosecutors have won a series of cases against high profile footballers and coaches for tax fraud in recent years, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho.
Atletico Madrid are not seeking revenge for their 2014 Champions League final defeat but instead want to write a new chapter in the club's history with their first European Cup after getting past Bayern Munich.
'I haven't always expressed myself well. I said I would like to play with Neymar and Mbappe, but that doesn't mean I want to go to PSG'
Atletico Madrid tore apart city rivals Real Madrid 4-0 at home to open up the La Liga title race on Saturday in a triumph crowned by a spectacular overhead kick goal by Saul Niguez.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Juve forward Cristiano Ronaldo had an unusually quiet game after scoring a hat-trick against Atletico in last year's competition, although he came within inches of grabbing a last-gasp winner when he sent a shot just past the far post.
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi scored two goals and set up two more as the Catalans thrashed Real Valladolid 5-1 to move top of La Liga on Tuesday.
Atletico Madrid's troubles away from home continued when they were held to a goalless draw at Alaves on Saturday, dropping points on the road for a second consecutive week and losing Uruguay international Jose Maria Gimenez to injury.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was sad and frustrated after missing out on the Europa League final following Thursday's 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in his last European game in charge of the London club.
Atletico Madrid substitute goalkeeper Antonio Adan saved three penalties before blasting home the winning spot-kick as the Europa League champions edged out Arsenal after the sides drew 1-1 in their International Champions Cup opener in Singapore on Thursday.
Chelsea's Brazil left back Filipe Luis is poised to return to Atletico Madrid after one season at Chelsea where he failed to hold down a regular first team place, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo said.
The France striker was fouled by Leicester's Marc Albrighton on the edge of the box and referee Jonas Eriksson deemed the action to have continued into the penalty area.
Barcelona captain Raphinha scored twice as they returned to winning ways in LaLiga for the first time in a month with a 5-1 victory at Mallorca on Tuesday.
Manchester United showing 'concrete interest' in the French forward
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone praised the 'decisive' Antoine Griezmann after his two goals helped down Olympique de Marseille 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday and tried to convince the striker to resist the lure of Barcelona.
Spain forward Fernando Torres has agreed to return to Atletico Madrid on loan from AC Milan until the end of the 2015-16 season.
"Our club has reached an agreement with Gelson Martins, making him a new Atletico player," said a statement from last season's La Liga runners-up.
Lionel Messi came to Barcelona's rescue for the second time in a week by snatching a late winner to give his side a barely deserved 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday which provisionally took the champions top of La Liga.
The Catalonian side put up a good fight to stay level in the first half at a half-empty Wanda Metropolitano stadium, with Lucas Hernandez hitting the post and Diego Costa denied when one-on-one with the visiting keeper.
Atletico Madrid proved too streetwise to entertain another Leicester City fairytale as they quelled a stirring home display to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the third time in four seasons on Tuesday, winning 2-1 on aggregate.
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone may have played down the significance of Sunday's 2-1 La Liga defeat at Real Sociedad but it has raised further questions about the champions' ability to defend their title.
French striker Kevin Gameiro has joined Atletico Madrid on a four-year deal from fellow La Liga side Sevilla, the Champions League finalists said on Saturday.
Brazilian defender Filipe Luis scored for the second game running as Atletico Madrid beat Real Sociedad 1-0 on Tuesday to rack up a fifth straight win in La Liga and provisionally consolidate third place in the standings.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld insists his run to the Champions League final with Atletico Madrid two years ago proves that underdogs can compete with Europe's elite and win the competition.
