Atletico Madrid landed a quite stunning however definitely very important victory for his or her La Liga title aspirations on Saturday night, beating rivals Barcelona on the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in a most surprising style.
Barcelona’s first-half domination culminated with Pedri breaking the impasse within the thirtieth minute, however Rodrigo De Paul equalized on the hour mark. The true shock occurred within the sixth minute of stoppage time although, when Atletico substitute Alexander Sorloth scored to grab all three factors for the guests.
The groups
Barcelona sorely miss 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, absent by an ankle damage. Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is a long-term absentee. Marc Bernal and Andreas Christensen have been unavailable as nicely.
Inaki Pena was in aim for the Catalans. Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi paired up the guts of defence, flanked by Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde. Pedri joined Marc Casado in the course of the park, whereas Gavi performed in a barely extra superior function, serving to Raphinha and Fermin Lopez in supporting striker Robert Lewandowski from broad positions.
As for Atletico, they’re in a significantly better scenario injury-wise. Ahead Marcos Paulo, who has returned early from his mortgage at Belgian aspect RWD Molenbeek resulting from an ACL tear, is the one title on the record of absentees.
With Jan Oblak in aim, Javi Galan and Marcos Llorente flanked centre-backs Jose Gimenez and former Barcelona man Clement Lenglet. De Paul and Pablo Barrios have been tasked with the arduous work in the course of the park, with Giuliano Simeone and Conor Gallagher in wider roles. Antoine Griezmann, additionally as soon as a Barcelona participant, was joined by Julian Alvarez in assault.
The sport recap
Within the first half, Barcelona established themselves because the dominant workforce on the pitch, retaining the ball within the opposition half with ease and forcing the guests to focus solely on defending. Alvarez and Griezmann have been there however completely invisible, utterly reduce off from the sport itself.
In the meantime, Raphinha, who shone for Barcelona all through the sport, had the primary actual probability of the sport after 5 minutes as he hit one low from the best flank, however his shot was blocked by Gallagher. Inigo Martinez was the following to threaten Oblak severely with a strong volley, however the Slovenian ‘keeper was well-positioned. Certainly one of various tremendous crosses from Raphinha discovered an unmarked Gavi within the air within the twenty fifth minute, however the younger midfielder headed simply broad.
However luck lastly smiled on the dwelling aspect within the thirtieth minute, they usually clearly deserved it. Pedri picked the ball up on the left and performed it to Gavi on the sting of the field. Gavi truly failed to regulate it correctly, but it surely labored out completely for Pedri who took it in his stride and fired low in direction of the far put up. The shot picked up a slight deflection off Llorente who slid in to attempt to block it, and the change of route, as minimal because it was, took it simply out of Oblak’s attain and into the underside nook.
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Having taken the lead, Barcelona barely relaxed the strain on the Rojiblancos, although they nonetheless saved the entire circulation of the sport underneath management for the remainder of the half and it appeared they have been on their option to a simpler victory than they could’ve anticipated. All Atletico might do was to remain within the sport, however keep they did.
Lower than three minutes after the break, Fermin Lopez had an awesome probability to double Barcelona’s lead and had he achieved so, the result of the match would in all probability have been totally different. Gimenez’s poor move in his personal half was intercepted by Raphinha, who performed it shortly to Pedri and the goalscorer prolonged it into Lopez’s path on the left. The 21-year-old was by with solely Oblak forward, however attempting to get his shot off as shortly as doable, he misplaced his footing and Oblak was in a position to make a tremendous save.
Pedri threatened once more within the fifty fifth minute, however his shot went over the bar, and two minutes later, Raphinha and Lewandowski every missed an awesome alternative to extend Barcelona’s lead. Pedri produced a superb move to launch Raphinha in behind, and the Brazilian winger poked it over the onrushing Oblak, hitting the crossbar. Lewandowski was fast to react and tried to fireside it in, however Axel Witsel, who had changed Gimenez a couple of minutes earlier than, blocked the shot.
After which got here minute 60, and with it, the primary signal of attacking intent from Atletico. It was De Paul who began it with a beautiful move down the left flank for Alvarez. The previous Manchester Metropolis ahead put it low into the field, and Casado reacted slightly thoughtlessly, back-heeling it away from the aim and out of the field – and straight into the trail of De Paul who hit it first-time, low and precisely, to equalize.
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Fifteen minutes later, Barcelona got here as shut as doable to getting again forward, but it surely wasn’t to be. Raphinha’s move to the left flank discovered substitute Ferran Torres unmarked, and Torres pulled it again for Lewandowski at six yards, however in a particularly uncharacteristic style, the Polish striker mishit the ball and allowed Oblak to select it up.
However heartened by De Paul’s equalizer, Atletico have been now up for the sport they usually began threatening on the different finish as nicely. Simply two minutes after Lewandowski’s embarrassment, Alvarez had an awesome probability to show the rating utterly round, however Pena made a superb save.
Because the match approached its finish, Barcelona progressively elevated the strain on the guests seeking a winner. One other substitute, Dani Olmo, labored up a pleasant probability for himself within the 81st minute, however his shot from shut vary trickled broad. Pedri created one other one for Raphinha within the 86th, however Oblak closed the angle down and made a straightforward save. Then it was Olmo’s flip to create for Pedri, however Oblak was as much as the duty once more.
Atletico have been once more having issues getting out of their half, however within the 96th minute, as Barcelona’s energy wavered for an prompt, De Paul picked the ball up close to the midway line broad on the best. Balde was clearly too drained to trace the run of a a lot brisker Atletico substitute Nahuel Molina, and Molina’s low cross discovered Sorloth, yet one more one who had come off the bench, unmarked within the field. Sorloth fired powerfully and left Pena unable to do something about it, successful the sport for Atletico utterly towards the run of play.
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The aftermath
Barcelona have all the time been often known as a membership that often produces unbelievable gamers – La Masia is justly well-known for it. Nonetheless, Diego Simeone’s aspect is extraordinarily skilled, consisting of gamers who know the right way to win video games towards extra gifted opponents, and whose focus hardly ever falters earlier than the ultimate whistle.
And with that in thoughts, regardless that they’d solely 37% of possession on this sport and appeared inferior for essentially the most of its course, they arguably deserved their win, if just for that potential to stay tactically disciplined and struggle to the tip.
Be that as it might, Atletico have now damaged atop of the La Liga desk with 41 factors, three greater than Barcelona in second place, although Actual Madrid might transfer above the Catalans in the event that they beat Sevilla on the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. Moreover, each Atletico and Actual have a sport in hand on Barcelona, and Hansi Flick should discover a means to assist his workforce snap out of this bout of poor type.
Barcelona have taken simply 5 factors from their final seven matches within the Spanish high flight.
