Antoine Griezmann struck a second-half hat-trick as Atletico Madrid came from behind to beat Athletic Bilbao 4-1 at San Mames tonight.
Mikel Rico headed the hosts into a thoroughly deserved half-time lead, but the Spanish champions rallied and Griezmann nodded home the equaliser within 30 seconds of the restart.
Raul Garcia then converted a penalty minutes later to turn the game on its head, before the Frenchman bagged his second and third goals of the night later on to cap a fine comeback.
You can relive all of the action below.
Ah, good evening and merry Christmas! Tis' the season to eat lots of food and watch lots of football - and celebrate Jesus's birthday, of course - but what could be more Christmassy than watching two teams who play in red and white? That's right. It's Bilbao vs. Atletico at San Mames and I'll guide you through every kick.
But who's playing? That's a good question and we'll have team news very, very shortly before we chew on a bit of background.
BILBAO XI: Iraizoz; San Jose, De Marcos, Balenziaga, Gurpegui; Susaeta, Etxeita, Mikel Rico, Muniain; Unai Lopez, Aduriz
ATLETICO XI: Moya; Juanfran, Godin, Siqueira, Giminez, Tiago, Gabi, Turan, Raul Garcia, Saul, Griezmann
BILBAO SUBS: Iago HerrerÃn, Erik Moran, Beñat, Ibai, Bustinza, Guillermo Aketxe
ATLETICO SUBS: Oblak, Jesus Gamez, Lucas, Mario Suarez, Rodriguez, Keita, Raul Jimenez
Right we'll start with the visitors then and I can tell you that Simeone names three changes to the side that lost 1-0 at Villarreal last time out. José Giménez comes in to replace Miranda and partner Juanfran, Diego Godin and Guilherme Siqueira in defence. Tiago, Gabi and Arda Turan retain their place in midfield, with Saul replacing Koke, while striker Mario Mandzukic makes way for Antoine Griezmann.
On to Ernesto Valverde's first XI and the Bilbao boss makes two changes from last week's 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad.
Unai Lopez and top goalscorer Artiz Aduriz continue up front, but Carlos Gurpegui comes into midfield to replace Ander Iturraspe and partner up with Iker Muniain, Markel Susaseta and Mikel Rico. Suspended defender Aymeric Laporte makes way for Xabier Etxeita, as he slots into defence alongside Mikel San Jose, Oscar De Marcos and Mikel Balenziaga, with Gorka Iraizoz between the sticks.
It would be an understatement to claim that it has been a magical 2014 for Atletico. They somehow managed to break Real Madrid and Barcelona's dominance by pipping both to La Liga glory in May, before losing to their bitter rivals Real in extra time in the final of the Champions League.
What a fantastic job Simeone has done at the Vicente Calderon. Incredible, and defeat would represent a kick to the baubles, having drawn with third-tier L'Hospitalet in the Copa del Rey in midweek - a couple days after losing to Villarreal. Give 2014 a good send off, lads.
Yep, Simeone's men, being the Spanish champions and all, are certainly favourites for this one, but we can't rule out a home win. Bilbao have only lost twice at San Mames this season and they'll definitely look to finish 2014 on a high.
Speaking of good home form, what will you be leaving out for Santa on Thursday night? We didn't have cookies in our home so Cris had to make do with a couple of viscounts, which he never ate. My mam also hates them oddly enough. Strange.
Kickoff isn't far away now (four minutes to be exact) but let me serenade you with a Christmas song to get us in the mood for both the match and Christmas - but mainly Chrimbo.
Right, both sets of players are out on the field and very soon we'll have kickoff for the very, very, very last Spanish game of 2014. Hold me.
KICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaand we're off at San Mames, my friends. Bilbao, playing in their Chrismassy red and white shirt, get us underway. Atletico need to win this.
There's an excellent tempo to this one already as both sides have enjoyed a bit of possession deep in another's half thus far. 2014 is going out with a bang.
Incidentally, these two met no fewer than four times last season, and Atletico won every single one of them. Ominous, or are Bilbao due a win? Let's see.
Whistles sound around San Mames now as Aduriz leaps for a header and goes down in what the striker claims was a flailing elbow from Jose Giminez. It's like a scene from The Grey out there at the minute.
SHOT! We've seen our first shot, and it's a shocker, as Raul Garcia goes for goal from about 50 yards out but it's well, well wide of the mark.
It's a bit feisty this one as Iker Muniain goes down to ground after Juanfran brushed his face. Save that stuff for the nativity play pal.
Antoine Griezmann is Atletico's furthest player forward tonight in the absence of Mario Mandzukic. It'll be interesting to see how he gets on because he's not really a striker.
Bilbao left-back Oscar de Marcos has found himself under a bit of pressure in this first 14 minutes or so but he's stood up to it very well thus far. Arda Turan hasn't had a sniff on that flank as of yet.
Aduriz is far and away Bilbao's goal threat tonight. The lone striker has five La Liga goals this season, which is three more than anybody else, which sums up their season so far.
There's been very, very little by way of goalmouth chances so far I'm afraid. Garcia's 50-yard punt, which ended up about 50 yards wide, is regretably as close as we've come in a pretty poor first half so far.
GOAL!!! BILBAO 1-0 ATLETICO (Mikel Rico)
Just as I say we've had no chances, Bilbao move ahead and it's midfielder Mikel Rico, who nods an Iker Muniain free kick past Moya as the ball nestles beautifully in the corner. Brilliant header.
Atletico fashion a decent chance to get back on level terms as Arda Turan chases a long ball which has the defence worried, but De Marcos shepherds the ball out of play very well.
BOOKING: Aduriz goes into the book for basically winning a header! The striker contests an aerial challenge with Jose Giminez but he might've actually caught the Uruguayan with an elbow en route to winning the ball. Still, seems very, very harsh. No intent.
BOOKING: Another yellow in an increasingly feisty affair as Griezmann goes through the back of Susaeta and gets booked for his efforts.
Really good play from Juanfran, as Muniain looks like he might've fashioned himself a chance, but the Spain international gets back in the nick of time to avert the danger.
If Bilbao hang on to this lead then the defending champions would be SEVEN points behind Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. Ifso facto, they could be 10 points behind early next year. Would that be too much? Without a doubt, the way Real are playing. They can't lose this
Arda Turan fires in what looks a decent cross, but the only player in the box is Griezmann, who's about 5'10. Atletico are absolutely not playing like Spanish champions.
Xabier Exteita has Griezmann's number in this half so far. The Frenchman has not had a sniff at goal in his unfamiliar centre-forward position. It's been very scrappy so far.
It's worth pointing out that Bilbao have defended very, very well so far. Carlos Gurpegui, often deployed in midfield, is doing a cracking job back there alongside Exteita. Overall, though, it's not been a fantastic game. Neither team really on top.
CHANCE!!! Oh what a golden chance for Aduriz. He's played through on goal after evading Diego Godin, but just before he takes his shot, he tries to cut inside Siqueira, but runs into Juanfran before he can get his shot off. It could, and definitely should be 2-0.
Right, there's three minutes left in this half - it's only 1-0, but it should certainly be 2-0 after Aduriz's chance a few minutes. They're still very good value for their half-time lead (if they get it) because Atletico literally haven't created a single chance. Very poor from them.
HALF TIME: BILBAO 1-0 ATLETICO
Well, it hasn't been a brilliant half of football, but Bilbao won't care. Ernesto Valverde's side are one goal to the good and surprisingly comfortable! Their lead is far more comfortable than it ought to be because we're talking about the Spanish champions here, but they just haven't got going.
They're suffering in the absence of Mario Mandzukic big time. Antoine Griezmann, often a winger, has spearheaded the attack to very little effect so far tonight and he's barely had a kick.
Can they get back into it? You can't rule them out because they've got class every where you look, but that first half certainly does not inspire confidence that they can turn this around - and they need to. They'll be seven points behind Real Madrid - who have a game in hand - if they lose this and six behind second-placed Barca. Huge 45 minutes ahead here folks.
RESTART! Aaaaaaaaaaaand we're back underway at San Mames. Let's go.
GOAL!!!! BILBAO 1-1 ATLETICO (Griezmann)
We said that it was probably the biggest 45 minutes of Atletico's season, and boy have they responded to that pressure as Antoine Griezmann, who was shocking in the first half, heads home the equaliser inside 30 seconds of the restart! It's a great ball in by Juanfran, and Oscar de Marcos just watches the Frenchman head past Iraizoz. Great header.
You have to fancy Atletico now, don't you? They're playing much, much better. The passing in the build-up to that equaliser was also absolutely brilliant. Welcome back, Atleti.
PENALTY TO ATLETICO!!!
This looks very harsh as Atletico win a penalty after Tiago goes to ground against a challenge from Mikel San Jose, but wow it looks so soft.
GOAL!!!! BILBAO 1-2 ATLETICO (Raul Garcia)
Yep, Garcia steps up from 12 yards and comfortably dispatches the resulting penalty. Bilbao players are furious, and rightly so because it was never a penalty.
It'll be interesting to see if Bilbao can get back into this after a shocking opening five minutes of the half from their perspective.
SAVE! Moya forced into his first save in this second half, but it's a comfortable one as Aduriz's volley from a corner is straight at the Atletico keeper.
SHOT!!! Hmm. There's only one word to describe that shot from Balenziaga and it rhymes with bit. The left-back gallops forward but his shot at goal is truly horrendous. Less said about that the better.
It's all Bilbao since going behind but they're not asking many poking questions. Plenty of possession but they're yet to really do anything with it so far. They've got a corner now, though.
....But that corner comes to nothing as Diego Godin, who has been much better in this half, clears the danger. Good header.
BOOKING: This one is getting nasty. Actually it's been nasty for about 65 minutes. Muniain goes into the book for leaving his mark on Giminez, who writhes around in agony but he's grand. He tried to show players the evidence of contact a la Nani but he looks alright.
Right, about 20 minutes left and I'll be very surprised if we finish with 22 men, folks. It's an increasingly feisty clash at San Mames and a red card seems imminent.
GOAL!!! BILBAO 1-3 ATLETICO (Griezmann)
What a turnaround this is. Griezmann, who really was shocking in the first half, scores his second of the night and that might be that. The Frenchman latches on to Turan's through ball, with Gurpegiu's crucial slip clearing the way to goal, and he makes no mistake as he slots past Iraizoz. Great finish.
DOUBLE BOOKING: Two more yellows to tell you about now, as Giminez and Turan both go into the book. It's 3-3 in the yellow card stakes now.
DOUBLE SUBS: Ibai Gomez comes on for Mikel Balenziaga in Bilbao's first change, while Diego Simeone also throws the dice to replace Saul Niguez with Christian Rodriguez.
GOAL!!! BILBAO 1-4 ATLETICO (Griezmann hat-trick)
Stick a fork in it folks. It's Griezmann again as the Frenchman goes through one-on-one with Iraizoz, but he unselfishly squares to Turan, who fluffs his lines and Griezmann gets another bite at the cherry to tap home from close range. He's actually clearly offside, but he won't care. First hat-trick in senior football. Mandzukic might be worried!
This really is the hallmark of champions. Bilbao bossed the first half and made Atletico Madrid look like a bunch of amateurs in truth, but the cream rose to the top, as it so often does when Simeone's involved.
SUB: Siqueira is bleeding from the ear (did someone play him Mistletoe & Wine by Cliff?) and he's replaced by Fernandez for the last couple of minutes.
Diego Godin might have to go off now. He's got a bloody nose. It's been a blood-filled end to what has been a feisty affair throughout. I'm surprised it's taken 90 minutes to see a bit of the red stuff.
AT LEAST FOUR MINUTES ADDED ON: But it'll probably be more due to Godin's injury.
FULL TIME: ATHLETIC BILBAO 1-4 ATLETICO MADRID
What an unbelievable comeback there folks. Atletico, who trailed 1-0 at the break, score four second-half goals, with Griezmann bagging three of them, as they move four points behind Real Madrid at the summit.
Well, that's all we've got time for here unfortunately, but thanks for joining our live text commentary and enjoy your Christmas. Put the feet up and relax, but if you want more football on Boxing Day then come back because we've got every single Premier League game covered! Yep. See you then.
