After their win against Deportivo Alaves and Real Madrid’s draw with Girona, FC Barcelona became the new leader of La Liga. If they wanted to keep the coveted status for another week, they needed to put their best foot forward in the game against Atlético de Madrid.
Atlético is known for starting its games strong, and the meeting at Spotify Camp Nou was no different. In just the 19th minute, Álex Baena broke through the Catalan defence and soared towards their goal. Although the ball did hit the back of the net, it seemed that an offside would prevent a change in score. Just as Barcelona was beginning to celebrate its stroke of luck, the referee called off the decision, putting Atlético in the lead.
Barcelona immediately began looking for a response. They pressed their opponents, making sure not to give them too much room to breathe. Their determination was converted into a goal in the 26th minute. It was then that Pedri, returning after an injury-caused break, managed a truly beautiful pass to Raphinia. The Brazilian rushed towards Jan Oblak’s net and left the goalkeeper with no chance to defend.
It seemed like Barcelona’s luck was about to turn completely when, less than ten minutes later, Pablo Barrios fouled Dani Olmo right by Atlético’s net. A penalty was awarded to the Catalan team, and their main striker, Robert Lewandowski, was the man appointed to take it. Unfortunately for all Culers, just like he had in a game against Sevilla earlier this season, the Pole missed it. Infuriated by the wasted opportunity, Blaugrana kept attacking, only to see all their best shots saved by the ever-impressive Oblak.
The remaining minutes of the first half saw two yellow cards awarded to players of both teams. The first was given to Baena for a foul on Pau Cubarsí. The second was shown to Gerard Martín, who fouled Giuliano Simeone.
Both teams wanted to see the scales of victory tip in their direction after the break. The game was quick and intense, switching between the sides of the field. It was Barcelona who opened the score in the second half. After a messy action and an assist from Lewandowski, Olmo put the ball in Atlético’s net. He paid a heavy price for the change in score, as he suffered an injury that led to him being substituted by Marcus Rashford. The other player involved in the moment also left the field.
Atlético got very close to equalizing the score, with Thiago Almada seeing a perfect goal-scoring opportunity. Unfortunately for the fans dressed in red and white, he missed Joan García’s net. The team spent the last minutes pressing Barcelona, not letting the Catalans rest on their laurels. Despite their efforts, they didn’t manage to score before the final whistle.
There was, however, someone who managed a last-minute goal. That man was none other than El Tiburón, Ferran Torres. Having received the ball from Alejandro Balde, he shot it with both beauty and absolute precision. With that, Barcelona secured the well-deserved victory.
Thanks to the win, no matter what Real does in their game against Athletic Club, Barcelona will remain at the top of the La Liga standings. The next match of their Spanish parade will take place on Saturday at Estadio de La Cartuja, Real Betis’ home turf.
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