BARCELONA, Spain — Atlético Madrid have been 10 factors behind Barcelona firstly of November however will finish the 12 months three factors away from them on the prime of LaLiga, and with a recreation in hand after Alexander Sørloth’s 96th-minute winner capped a exceptional recreation on the Olympic Stadium between the league’s prime two.
Rodrigo De Paul’s strike had cancelled out Pedri’s opener in Barcelona on Saturday, nevertheless it was the house aspect who have been pushing for the win late on. The board revealing six minutes of added time was greeted with roars from the native supporters as Barça, led by the sensible Pedri, threw the whole lot ahead in the hunt for a winner. However these six minutes resulted in despair, the one roars now coming from the few hundred away followers up excessive within the second tier, as Atlético made it 12 wins in a row in all competitions to firmly cement their title credentials.
Barça, in the meantime, are in free fall. They can not even string two consecutive victories collectively, not to mention 12. After taking 33 factors from a potential 36 to start out the season, Hansi Flick’s crew wilted and have taken simply six from the final 21.
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There are completely different theories for his or her capitulation. Their excessive line, so profitable, has been put beneath the microscope. Atlético had little luck right here till Sørloth’s objective, although, which exploited that line. De Paul carried the ball ahead after Barça had given it away. The Barça defence stepped as much as play offside, however they’d not taken into consideration the run from wing-back Nahuel Molina, who collected De Paul’s go and crossed for Sørloth.
Tiredness is one other concept. 10 gamers have already clocked up over 1,500 minutes of motion this season and Raphinha advised ESPN within the week that fatigue has been a consider Barça profitable what’s now simply as soon as of their final seven league video games. However they did not appear particularly drained towards Atlético in a recreation they began with depth and dominated for lengthy durations.
That provides Flick, who served the second of a two-game touchline ban towards Atlético, some hope there may be gentle on the finish of the tunnel. Dropped factors have usually come after they’ve least anticipated them — they misplaced at dwelling to Las Palmas and Leganés, too, and have now worryingly misplaced three in a row within the league on the Olympic Stadium — whereas they’ve dealt with themselves nicely towards the larger sides. Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have all been crushed.
Atlético might have joined that listing if Barça’s ending had been higher. Gavi headed large, Iñigo Martínez and Fermín López fired straight at Jan Oblak, Pedri blazed over and Raphinha hit the bar. That was all earlier than De Paul’s equaliser, teed up by Marc Casadó when the midfielder didn’t cope with a Julián Álvarez cross. At 1-1, additional probabilities got here for substitute Dani Olmo, Raphinha and Pedri, however both the goal was missed or Oblak stood tall.
Barça ended the sport with 19 pictures and an xG of three.04.
“It is apparent we’ve got a terrific goalkeeper,” Atlético coach Diego Simeone mentioned after the sport.
“Jan was massively essential.”
Atlético’s probabilities have been few and much between. That they had zero pictures within the first half. De Paul’s objective was their first heading in the right direction. Pablo Barrios did have a great one, denied by a positive Iñaki Peña save, however as six minutes of stoppage time went up, it was Barça who believed they may get the winner.
“We performed an excellent match,” Flick mentioned.
“It was actually unbelievable how we performed. That is how I need to see my crew. Our type, how we need to play, it was actually nice. I’m proud.
“It reveals additionally that Atlético is an skilled crew they usually [were] simply ready for this and for them, it is sufficient.”
Flick’s feedback do Atlético some disservice. He had spoken pre-match about how harmful they’re late in matches. They’ve now scored 13 targets after the eightieth minute to both win or draw video games in all competitions, together with a 94th-minute winner from Antoine Griezmann as they got here from behind to beat Sevilla 4-3 simply two weeks in the past.
Doing it at Barça, although, does really feel completely different. This was their first win in Barcelona since 2006 within the league and their first ever within the metropolis beneath Simeone. It is no marvel the bench poured onto the pitch after Sørloth’s winner.
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Atlético Madrid rating a 96th-minute winner vs. Barcelona
Alexander Sørloth scores within the final minute and sends Atlético Madrid prime of LaLiga with a 2-1 win vs. Barcelona.
Atlético have now received seven in a row in LaLiga and can finish 2024 as the highest crew in Spain no matter how Actual Madrid fare towards Sevilla on Sunday. Their numbers are as spectacular as Barça’s are miserable.
Simeone’s twice led them to the title earlier than, toppling Barça and Actual Madrid within the course of, may or not it’s taking place once more?
“I will not go down that path, in no way,” he mentioned usually coy method when quizzed on the aspect’s possibilities of profitable the league.
He might be upset there may be now a winter break. For Barça, alternatively, it comes at a great time. It would give Lamine Yamal time to recuperate from an ankle harm — they’ve nonetheless not received a recreation when he is not began — and others time to relaxation, like Pedri, who was very good towards Atlético.
Not solely did he rating Barça’s objective, however he performed two sensible passes to arrange Raphinha probabilities and customarily dictated the sport. It was an announcement efficiency from a participant who appears to have overcome the harm issues that plagued his earlier two seasons.
“It is actually good to see that he is now on this degree,” Flick mentioned.
“How he performed was incredible, the objective was unbelievably good. If you see him now on the pitch, he is additionally teaching the opposite gamers round him. That is good. It is the following step for him. He is 22-years-old and he is on the correct method.”
Pedri deserved extra, however as a substitute, he ended the sport slouched on the pitch as Atlético celebrated in entrance of their followers what may show an enormous three factors in what’s growing into a captivating three-way title race.
“We knew how you can defend and endure towards a crew that performs good soccer,” Simeone mentioned.
“The modifications gave us power within the last levels and the counterattack to win it was beautiful. It gave us the possibility to win a recreation that Barça most likely deserved a little bit extra from.”
