Uruguay international Diego Forlan and Argentina star Sergio Aguero are likely to spearhead Atletico's attacking threat.
It also co-incided with Atletico's best spell following the half-time introduction of the exciting Sergio Aguero.
That enabled David Silva to find Sergio Aguero, but the visitors' top scorer was off-target.
Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero equalized in the final minute of the first half with a powerful shot.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero restored his side's lead 60 seconds later with Gonazlo Higuain adding a third soon after.
Sergio Aguero fired home on the hour mark before Mario Balotelli provided a cool finish from the penalty spot 15 minutes later.
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Sergio Aguero had already scored twice before halftime, then Tevez struck on the hour after being set up by his fellow Argentine.
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Last season, Balotelli also had the assist on Sergio Aguero's title-winning goal.
With five minutes left, Silva and Sergio Aguero exchanged passes for Argentine ace Tevez to convert from the edge of the penalty area.
Goals in either half from Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure earned Manchester City a 2-1 against West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium.
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Any Argentina nerves, however, were settled when Higuain tapped-in from close range and then he completed his hat-trick by heading home Sergio Aguero's cross.
Quick on the counter and unusually organized at the back, Wigan capably held City's expensive strike force of Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero at bay.
But they saved their best for last as Messi's stunning chip enabled Sergio Aguero to cross for Higuain to head home to complete his treble.
Liverpool played most of the match with Spanish youngsters Danny Ayala and Mikel San Jose in central defence against the outstanding Atletico forward Sergio Aguero.
Last season's Premier League was won with the virtual last kick of the season, when Sergio Aguero scored to give Manchester City the title on goal difference.
Atletico Madrid moved further away from relegation trouble with a 2-0 victory at promoted strugglers Xerez, with star strikers Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero scoring in each half.
City and United have used their fortunes to acquire some of the biggest soccer names in the world: Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Rio Ferdinand among them.
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In May's EPL finale, Barton was sent off for elbowing Carlos Tevez, then kicking the striker's fellow Argentine Sergio Aguero before appearing to aim a headbutt at City captain Vincent Kompany.
Balotelli scored just 20 Premier League goals in two years, and his only assist in 54 top-flight appearances famously led to Sergio Aguero's title-winning strike on the final day of last season.
However, the Spanish team were without top Argentine forward Sergio Aguero who was suspended and that seemed to blunt their attack, with Diego Forlan seemingly at a loss without his strike partner.
Despite his disciplinary record, Balotelli did set up a goal for Argentina striker Sergio Aguero that secured City their first title in 44 years on a dramatic final day of last season.
Atletico equalized through Sergio Aguero in the 56th minute, but when Eidur Gudjohnsen played in Henry for his 14th of the season to give the visitors a 3-2 advantage it looked all over.
Sergio Aguero, the club's top scorer, was sidelined with a freak injury: A trainer had applied a pain-killing spray to his foot and his skin reacted by exploding in a hail of blisters.
Atletico will be without striker Sergio Aguero for the first leg against Liverpool after the striker picked up a pointless yellow card for time wasting as he was substituted in the 94th minute.
Diego Forlan scored the only goal from the penalty spot after 30 minutes after Sergio Aguero had been brought down by visiting keeper Cesar Sanchez to leave Atletico two points clear of Los Che.
City bombarded the QPR penalty area and in stoppage time Edin Dzeko headed home to give their fans hope, before Sergio Aguero scored a stunning individual winner in a finale that no script writer would have dared pen.
He may now get his wish in the January transfer window as the success of Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero has left him a marginalized figure at City, while Mancini said on the night of the Bayern incident that Tevez was "finished" with the club.
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