Diego Simeone and his men will sleep well tonight, as Atlético Madrid saw off a spirited display from 15th placed Levante with an efficient performance to beat them at the Estadio Vicente Calderon with a 3-1 score-line.

French forward Antoine Griezmann was instrumental to the cause throughout the game as he scored a brace, with Uruguayan defender Diego Godín also getting on the scoresheet late on for the defending champions as they managed to see out the match in-front of their home supporters in the opening game of the new year; 2015.

Griezmann's first goal came in the 18th minute, with a bullet header beyond the goalkeeper Marino into the bottom corner of the net, from a teasing cross which was drilled into the box by Brazilian left-back Guilherme Siqueira. The Levante defenders could not get tight enough marking the silky forward, who made them pay with a clinical finish to open the scoring.

It was Antoine who made it 2-0, just a minute into the second-half. Another teasing delivery was headed goal-ward by Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic, whose header was acrobatically saved by the goalkeeper, before being parried back into play. Within seconds, the rebound popped up for the 24-year-old and Griezmann could not miss from close range, to double Atlético's lead.

However, it was not all easy for the hosts. Substitute, and Moroccan winger Nabil El Zhar halved the deficit in the 61st minute with a flick into the corner of the net as they struggled to clear the danger in a goal-mouth scramble inside the box, after Moyá made a stop from close range.

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure upon Simeone's men, with the visiting supporters encouraging their side to score an equalising goal before the full-time whistle. This, did not happen - thanks to a superb lofted through ball by midfielder Tiago into the box for Godín to head beyond the goalkeeper into the net and make it 3-1.

And, loanee signing Fernando Torres, who recently finalised his move back to Atléti on a two-year loan deal from Serie A side AC Milan, was pictured watching from the stands and looking happy as his new team-mates moved just a point within league leaders Real Madrid at the summit of the La Liga table.

Real and Barcelona who occupy the league's first and second places currently, play tomorrow against Valencia and Real Sociedad respectively.