Félix, the young Portuguese forward carrying high expectations in his second season with Atlético, had thrived before Suárez came in, creating good chances for his teammates from the start. He set up the team’s second goal by Correa in the 47th, and scored the third in the 65th with a shot from inside the area. Costa, who had opened the scoring in the ninth, set up Félix’s goal. Saúl Níguez missed an early penalty kick for Atlético.

“Suárez’s arrival creates competition in the group and that is good,” Atlético coach Simeone said. “The arrival of an important player like him improves the squad, but the team was already doing well before he arrived.”

Suárez had come close to scoring with a low shot that went wide in the 76th, and he also had been denied an opportunity from the penalty spot after video review reversed a penalty call for a foul on him. He was ready to take the penalty when the call was reversed.

Atlético won’t pay more than 6 million euros ($7 million) in variables for the 33-year-old Suárez, who was let go as Barcelona revamped its squad following a struggling season that ended with an embarrassing 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League in August.

Lionel Messi, a longtime friend and teammate of Suárez, publicly criticized the way Barcelona let Suárez go.