BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) — Alvaro Morata struck twice for Atletico Madrid as they inflicted rivals Real Madrid's first defeat of the seasons with a 3-1 derby triumph on Sunday in La Liga.

Champions Barcelona sit top of the league as Los Blancos lost their 100 per cent record, with Antoine Griezmann also on target for Atletico, fifth, at their raucous Metropolitano stadium.

Real Madrid are third, a point behind Barcelona and high-flying Girona in second place, after they failed to match Atletico's level of intensity in an enthralling clash.

Morata netted an early header and Griezmann doubled Atletico's lead, before Toni Kroos pulled Madrid into the game with a stinging drive before half-time.

However, Morata headed home again at the start of the second half and Madrid could not find a way back against an Atletico side bouncing back from what Coach Diego Simeone labelled their "weakest" performance of his long reign last weekend.

"What I need is to feel important and this year, maybe I feel more important than in other years – I hope we keep winning because I really want to win a title with Atletico," Morata told DAZN.

"I'm very happy for all the fans, I said it the other day...that the fans are going to have the most important role, and that's how it was.

"[We're] all together, us on the pitch and them in the stands."