Madrid: Diego Costa’s return to Atletico Madrid began in typically explosive fashion on Wednesday night, and his second spell in La Liga has raised hopes that his new team might challenge runaway leaders Barcelona.

Costa swept home his first Atletico goal since leaving the club for Chelsea in 2014 just five minutes into his first appearance since May, scoring Atletico’s third in a 4-0 hammering of third-tier Lleida Esportiu in the Copa Del Rey and showing the goalscoring prowess that Diego Simeone’s side have lacked all season.

Costa came on as a 64th minute sub on Wednesday and almost immediately put his foot where it hurts to score, beating Lleida centre-back Marc Trilles to Juanfran’s drilled cross and having his shin stamped on by the defending in the process.

Atletico, who host Getafe on Saturday, are second in La Liga having lost only once all season but are nine points behind Ernesto Valverde’s team, on 36 points after drawing six of their 17 league fixtures, more than any team in the top half of the table.

Real Madrid are way back in fourth, five behind Atletico as they prepare to travel to Celta Vigo.

Agence France-Presse