Atletico Madrid moved up to joint fourth in the Spanish Liga on Saturday with a comfortable 2-0 home defeat of local rivals Getafe.

Atletico had the whip hand from the start but needed a stroke of fortune to break the deadlock seven minutes before half-time.

A classy free-kick from veteran winger Simao went through the Getafe wall, hit the post - and went in off luckless goalkeeper Jordi Codina.

Simao claimed the goal but it will probably be listed as an own goal by Codina.

The second goal came 17 minutes from time, when Getafe were pressing for an equalizer. A rapid break saw Jose Antonio Reyes set up Juan Valera and the right-back centred for Brazilian striker Diego Costa to make it 2-0.

Costa, just 21, standing in for the injured Sergio Aguero, has been one of the revelations of the season so far.

Atletico now have 13 points from seven games and are joint fourth with Barcelona, who are at home to leaders Valenica later on Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday, at Barcelona's stormy annual general assembly of club members, new president Sandro Rosell announced a record loss of 79.6 million euros (111.78 million dollars) last season and a total debt of 430 million.

His proposal to bring a civil lawsuit against former president Joan Laporta for financial misdemeanour, was narrowly approved, to the annoyance of Laporta's many supporters.

Laporta himself was not present at the assembly, claiming that he would not be allowed to defend himself properly.

Saturday's late match will see third-placed Real Madrid away to midtable Malaga.

Real are one point ahead of Atletico and Barca, one point behind second-placed Villarreal and two behind Valencia.