Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday night to go three points clear at the top of the La Liga table.
The Catalan outfit would be delighted with the result as they made the most of the slip-up by arch-rivals and defending champions Real Madrid against Villarreal on Saturday.
Barcelona starts fast
It was a quick start for Barcelona and the away team could have taken the lead on 3 minutes if Ansu Fati’s low shot inside the box hadn’t been brilliantly blocked by Stefan Savic.
Pablo Barrios put Marc-Andre Ter Stegen to the test minutes later with a 25-year-old effort that went head-to-head in a frantic start.
The away team settled into the game with their possession-based approach and Fati was once again denied on 9 minutes, this time by José Jiménez, who made a last-minute block to prevent a sure opening goal on the night. .
Xavi’s men got the decisive goal on 21 minutes when Ousmane Dembele finished off a delicious move. Pedri started the play in midfield with a quick move before passing to Gavi, who the latter put in the path of Dembélé, who finished a fine low shot into the left corner of Jan Oblak’s goal.
Pedri should have scored Barcelona’s second of the night when he received a gift back pass from Jiménez, but his attempt to put the ball into the net was parried by Oblak.
Atlético were held at bay by Ter Stegen, who brilliantly saved Antoine Griezmann’s rising shot just on the stroke of half-time.
Atlético loses chances
The hosts were better than both teams after the break and should have leveled the game on 54 minutes, but Griezmann fired well over eight meters. Dembélé then hit the post in the 61st minute with the game still at 1-0.
Both Savic and Ferran Torres were sent off in stoppage time after grabbing the ball and then struggling in the fight. In the closing stages of the game, Ronald Araujo brilliantly cleared Griezmann’s low shot from the line as Barcelona held on for a crucial 1-0 win on the night.
Barcelona leads the standings with 41 points from 16 games, while Atlético is fifth at 14 points.
Photo Credit: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
