Last season title contenders and UEFA Champions League runners up were frustrated by newly promoted Alaves in Vincent Calderón in added time counter.
Manu Garcia’s stunning equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage-time cancelled out debutant Kevin Gameiro’s penalty, which had itself come three minutes into added time.
Despite wasting a host of chances, Atletico thought they had taken all three points when Gameiro – who had been guilty for several of those poor misses – struck from 12 yards, but the visitors immediately levelled with their first shot on target through a sensational long-range effort.
The away side’s sturdy defence frustrated Atletico for much of the match and luck appeared to be on their side when Yannick Carrasco struck the post just before half-time.
Fernando Torres was introduced at the break and he also hit the upright in the second half, before then winning a late penalty, from which Gameiro netted to make amends for his earlier mishaps.
But the valiant visitors somehow found a way to battle back, with Garcia sending a thunderous effort past Jan Oblak from 25 yards to stun Atletico at the death
