Despite having UEFA Champions League (UCL) qualification assured for next season, Diego Simeone’s side flew out of the blocks in Pamplona, landing a deserved lead on 15 minutes.
Referee Jose Luis Guzman Mansilla eventually awarded a penalty - after a lengthy VAR review on Javi Galan’s handball inside Osasuna’s box - and Ademola Lookman crisply fired home his eighth goal in all competitions since joining from Atalanta in January.
The hosts were then almost gifted an equaliser on 24 minutes - after Koke’s shocking back pass - but Ante Budimir chipped agonisingly over the bar from 15 yards.
The Croatian was back at centre stage in first-half stoppage time, after colliding with Juan Musso, but after originally awarding a penalty for the hosts, Guzman Mansilla overturned his call after a VAR check.
The start of the second period followed a similar pattern to the first 45 minutes as half-time substitute Alexander Sorloth skewed two chances wide of Aitor Fernandez’s goal.
That lack of ruthlessness in front of goal gave Osasuna a chance to pull level, as Alejandro Catena nodded wide from a corner and Musso denied Kike Barja and Budimir.
The home side were made to rue those missed opportunities as Sorloth gambled on Marcos Llorente’s back post cross to double Atleti’s lead and secure the win at El Sadar.
That was not the end of Llorente’s involvement, with the Spanish international shown a second yellow card after hacking down Aimar Oroz.
The man advantage offered a glimmer of hope to Osasuna with just over 10 minutes remaining, and the hosts cut the deficit in stoppage time when Barja fired home, but it proved to be too little too late.
Victory means Atletico stay fourth in the rankings, three points behind Villarreal, but Simeone has work to do in the final two matches of the campaign if he wants to claim third spot for the fifth time in seven seasons.
Osasuna remain in 11th, with only a slim chance of dragging themselves back into the European race.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kike Barja (Osasuna)
