Diego Simeone's side are fifth, eight points behind leaders Real Madrid and six behind second-place Barcelona, who lost at Sevilla earlier on. A Carl Starfelt own-goal sent Atletico ahead before French defender Clement Lenglet was sent off in the 40th minute.

Iago Aspas, who equalled the record for most Celta appearances, bundled home an equaliser in the second half, with the hosts on top but unable to find a winner. Atletico thrashed Real Madrid 5-2 last weekend and had won three consecutive games before facing Celta, finding form after a poor start to the campaign.

"Considering that we gave everything, it's not a bad result but we wanted to win," Koke told 'Movistar'. "We have to win everywhere we go and we did not do that. We have to improve on the road, it's costing us."

Atletico took an early lead at Balaidos when Starfelt turned Pablo Barrios's cross into his own net as he tried to stop the ball reaching Julian Alvarez. The hosts were offered a way back into the game by Lenglet's dismissal, earned for two yellow cards in the first half, both for fouls on Ferran Jutgla.

Celta goalkeeper Ionut Radu saved well from David Hancko, while his Atletico counterpart Jan Oblak saved twice from Borja Iglesias before half-time. Simeone took off Antoine Griezmann at the break, sacrificing the 34-year-old for Javi Galan as he set up to take on the second half with 10 men.

Atletico reverted to a more defensive outlook as Celta dominated the ball and pulled level through Aspas in the 68th minute. The veteran forward, 38, pounced from close range after Oblak saved from Iglesias and the ball bounced tantalisingly on the line.

Aspas levelled Manolo Rodriguez's record for Celta appearances, set at 533, the last of which came in 1982. Robin Le Normand nodded narrowly wide at the other end as Atletico warned Celta they could not have it all their own way, but for the most part the hosts were dominant.

Celta forward Pablo Duran headed off-target from a tight angle in stoppage time and the sides had to share the spoils. It was Celta's sixth 1-1 draw of the season in eight league games, with the Galician side yet to win.

"(The draw) doesn't feel good, given the second half we had an extra player and pushed them back into their half," said Aspas. "We needed our first win in La Liga, we tried until the end but it could not be."

Iago Aspas

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