FC Barcelona is one step closer to their 28th League title. The azulgrana team showed champion character at the Metropolitano and achieved a victory that tastes like a title against Atlético de Madrid (2-4). After being two goals down in the scoreline at the 70th minute, the Catalans showcased their hierarchy, personality, and resilience, overcoming adversity to seal a memorable comeback and deliver a blow to the competition.

The team of Hansi Flick demonstrated their insatiable hunger for victory and left the Riyadh Air Metropolitano with a crucial win that allows them to add three vital points in their fight for the title and head into the international break as super leaders of the tournament with one game in hand, keeping the dream of the championship more alive than ever thanks to a victory that could be a positive turning point in this decisive stretch of the season.

Julián Álvarez punished Barça in the first half

The first 45 minutes were a constant back-and-forth between the red-and-white and blue-and-red teams. Both teams exchanged blows regularly, although neither managed to breach the opponent's goal. The first warning from the visitors came in the 5th minute, when Dani Olmo delivered a spectacular ball for Lamine Yamal's run into the area, who found himself almost one-on-one with Jan Oblak, but his left-footed shot hit the left post of the Indian goal.

After this scare, Atlético, coming off a significant effort last Wednesday against Real Madrid, settled into the game and managed to close down spaces in their own half, making it difficult for the Catalans to find their rhythm. Both Raphinha and Lamine were neutralized, and the culés could only find answers in the feet of Pedri and Olmo, but they barely caused any damage to the locals.

However, in the 44th minute, the Tenerife native provided a dream assist to Robert Lewandowski, leaving him face-to-face with the Slovenian goalkeeper, but the Polish player's control left him with little angle, and his left-footed shot grazed the crossbar. In the subsequent play, the azulgranas would receive a significant blow just before halftime.

At the edge of halftime, the colchoneros constructed a lethal counterattack led by Antoine Griezmann, who sent a great ball into the area for Szczesny to find Giuliano Simeone. The Argentine, who had space to shoot, decided to make a cutback pass for Julián Álvarez to open the scoring and send the match into halftime with a partial advantage for his team, although there was still much to define in the second half.

A comeback that tastes like a championship

Upon returning from the locker rooms, Barça came out with blood in their eyes onto the Metropolitano pitch in search of a goal to get them back into the match. Thus, in the 49th minute, Lamine Yamal once again came close to scoring with a dangerous shot from the edge of the area that went very close to the right post of Oblak's goal after another brutal combination with Dani Olmo.

The blaugranas maintained their siege on the red-and-white area, but the wall imposed by Diego Simeone made it extremely difficult for the Catalans, who continued to struggle to find the key to equalize the score. The night turned even darker in the 70th minute when Alexander Sorloth scored the second goal for the locals in a play that should not have counted due to a handball by Rodrigo De Paul in the previous play.

However, as they have shown on several occasions this season, this Barça knows how to respond to adversity. Just two minutes after the Norwegian's goal, Iñigo Martínez sent a cross into the area that was brought down with the chest by Robert Lewandowski, who unleashed a left-footed shot to cut the deficit with a true stunner.

Subsequently, in the 78th minute, Raphinha sent a tense cross to the heart of the area and found a completely unmarked Ferran Torres, who sent a powerful header into the back of Oblak's net, leveling the score.

From this moment on, the culés intensified their attacks, and after having tasted the goal on several occasions, Lamine Yamal became the hero and got his reward by scoring the winning goal in the 90+3 minute, and finally, Ferran Torres scored the fourth and final goal to seal the victory, bringing the Catalans even closer to their 28th title in LaLiga.

VAR made its presence felt at the Metropolitano

The second goal of Atlético de Madrid went up on the scoreboard amidst much controversy. In the build-up to the goal celebrated by Alexander Sorloth, Rodrigo De Paul deflected a pass from Pedri with his left hand at the edge of the area. The infraction was clear and evident, but De Burgos Bengoetxea chose not to see it, and the match continued.

However, in the subsequent play, the colchoneros increased their lead in the score and ignited the fury of the azulgrana players, who urged the referee to review the offense committed by the Argentine midfielder. Despite this, the VAR room informed the referee that the Norwegian's goal was valid since, as observed in the replays shown during the broadcast, the ball changed possession twice, which is why De Paul’s handball could not be penalized.

Barça delivers an almost definitive blow to LaLiga

With this victory, Barça takes a significant step towards the title of LaLiga. After Real Madrid did their homework in their visit to Villarreal (1-2) and temporarily took the top of the table (they have one game more), the culés have dealt a practically lethal blow to one of their direct rivals in the championship race and regained the lead.

The merengue team, despite their poor football performance, remains in the fight for the championship and has accumulated 10 points from the last 15 with 3 victories, 1 draw, and 1 defeat. The rojiblancos, on the other hand, are struggling and have accumulated 5 points from 15 in their last 5 matches, with a record of 1 victory, 2 draws, and 2 defeats.

Last 5 results of Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Atlético de Madrid in LaLiga: 🟢 Won 🟡 Drawn 🔴 Lost

  • Real Madrid (D/W/L/W/W)

 🟡 🟢🔴 🟢🟢 Madrid has accumulated 11 of the last 18 points available. The white team secured their second consecutive victory at La Cerámica. In the last 5, they have 3 victories, 1 draw, and 1 defeat, with 8 goals for and 4 against.

  • FC Barcelona (W/W/W/W/W)

🟢 🟢 🟢 🟢 🟢 Barça has accumulated 18 of the last 18 points available. The azulgrana team has won 6 consecutive matches. In the last 5, they have 5 victories, 0 draws, and 0 defeats, with 23 goals for and 4 against.

  • Atlético Madrid (D/D/W/L/L)

🟡 🟡 🟢🔴🔴 Atleti has accumulated 11 of the last 21 points available. The colchonero team has gone 2 matches without a win. In the last 5, they have 1 victory, 2 draws, and 2 defeats, with 9 goals for and 8 against.

The Catalans (60), for their part, head into the international break at the top of the standings, tied on points with the Madrid team, although with one game less, while they manage to pull four points ahead of the rojiblancos (56). The team of Hansi Flick, in this way, continues their sweet moment and chains a remarkable streak of results since the start of the year, remaining unbeaten and accumulating 22 points from 24 with 7 consecutive victories and 1 draw.

Technical sheet of the match:    

  • Atlético de Madrid, 2: Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Lenglet, Reinildo; Giuliano Simeone (Giménez, min. 79), De Paul (Molina, min. 79), Pablo Barrios, Samu Lino (Gallagher, min. 60); Griezmann (Riquelme, min. 86), Julián Álvarez (Sorloth, min. 60).
  • FC Barcelona, 4: Szczesny (P); Koundé (Araujo, min. 86), Pau Cubarsí, Íñigo Martínez, Balde (Martín, min. 86); Casadó (Eric García, min. 67), Pedri (Gavi, min. 90+5), Dani Olmo (Ferran Torres, min. 67); Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski.
  • Goals: 1-0, Julián Álvarez (min. 45+1); 2-0, Sorloth (min. 70); 2-1, Lewandowski (min. 72); 2-2, Ferran Torres (min. 78); 2-3, Lamine Yamal (min. 90+3); 2-4, Ferran Torres (min. 90+8).
  • Referee: De Burgos Bengoetxea. He cautioned the colchonero Reinildo and the culés Alejandro Balde, Lamine Yamal, and Jules Koundé.