Diego Costa was carried off with a bloody leg after scoring Atletico Madrid's second goal in a 2-0 win at 10-man Getafe, although the team said its star striker escaped without a serious injury.
Atletico extended its Spanish league lead to three points with five rounds to play as it closes in on what would be its first league title in 18 years.
Costa slammed into the post yesterday while poking in his 26th goal of the season in the 84th minute, opening a cut on his left shin and requiring the stadium's medical crew to carry him off the pitch while he covered his face and muffled his screams.
While his teammates looked distraught as he writhed on the pitch, Atletico said less than 10 minutes after the match on Twitter that "luckily Diego Costa only has a cut after hitting the post."
"He's fine, calm, a cut doesn't do any more harm," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said about his leading scorer.
"We now have five games left, and we have to play each one like it was a final."
Despite the scare, Atletico took advantage of Barcelona's loss on Saturday to open up a three point lead over Real Madrid with Barcelona another point behind.
Defender Diego Godin gave Atletico the lead in the 40th before Getafe's Alexis Ruano was dismissed with a red card in the 66th after he pulled Miranda down in the area, with goalkeeper Jordi Codina saving Diego Costa's penalty and Raul Garcia's follow-up try.
