Football did not do justice at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. FC Barcelona fought hard on the pitch and dominated the rival team throughout the match. Pedri opened the scoring just after the first half hour of play and, when it seemed that the second goal would fall, De Paul tied the game in the 60th minute. As if fortune had not been bad enough for the culés, a perfect counterattack by the red-and-white team ended in Sorloth's goal at the last gasp.
Barça and Atlético arrived at the last match of 2024 with the lead of LaLiga in dispute. The culés, without Lamine or Flick, were looking to take the three points to make a statement and win at home for the first time in a month and a half. The highest scoring team in the competition had in front of them the colchoneros, the best defense in the championship and who arrived with a winning streak of eleven games.
Absolute Blaugrana dominance in the first half
Knowing the need to win again to stay at the top of the table, the Catalans came out with a competitive tension similar to that which surprised the world at the start of the season. It was an aspect that was lacking in recent matches, in which the Blaugrana players' entrances into the matches were very weak. In this case, the positioning of the players was perfect, the pressure was well applied and the first dangerous approaches were not long in coming.
Blaugrana dominance was absolute. The home team had possession completely in their favour and lived in their opponent's half. However, the chances did not end up materialising. The first shot on goal was in the 22nd minute, a powerful volley from Iñigo Martínez after a corner. Despite the power being good, the attempt was very centred and Oblak blocked it. Shortly afterwards, a header from Gavi went just wide, after a cross from the right by Raphinha.
He who warns is not a traitor and Barça warned Atlético twice. The colchoneros did not react, so the culés applied their punishment. After the first half hour of play, Pedri started with the ball stuck to his foot at the height of the field. He saw Gavi in the area, combined with him, the Andalusian midfielder returned it with a backheel and the Canary Islander beat Oblak with a low shot.
The local goal was the crowning of a spectacular dominance. Simeone's pupils were being completely subdued, swinging from side to side with the desire to be able to, at least, touch the ball. Nothing was seen in the first act of that team that had won 11 games in a row, since October 31.
Football was not fair to Barça
Already at the restart, FC Barcelona continued at the same pace. They dominated the ball and kept up the high pressure, as well as continuing to play alongside Atlético in the visitors' half. In addition, the Catalans also reached the goal defended by Jan Oblak. On the edge of the first hour of play, Pedri served an exquisite chipped ball to Raphinha, who took advantage of the bouncing ball to shoot with a chip, but the crossbar spat out his shot. Lewandowski collected the rebound, but Witsel prevented the goal.
From almost reaching 2-0, to the Colchoneros, with their first shot on goal, managing to equalize the score. Javi Galán galloped down the left wing and put in a low cross, which Casadó cleared with a backheel. The ball stayed dead on the edge of the area and Rodrigo de Paul sent it into the back of the net with the inside of his right boot. How capricious football is.
The visitors' goal did not affect the Barcelona team. They maintained the modus operandi applied until now and tried to break the tie. In the 64th minute, Raphinha sent a cross into the area that was poisoned and ended up going very close to the right post of the rival goal. Atlético, for its part, did not take long to place a five-man defense and accumulate men at the back, resembling the tactic applied by Leganés in defense in the previous matchday.
Despite the new formation in the rearguard, the team led by 'Cholo' Simeone was not going to give up the game. In fact, Pablo Barrios had the 1-2 in a one-on-one with Iñaki Peña, but the Alicante goalkeeper won the fight. Barça responded quickly, through a combination between Balde and Olmo that led to a dance inside the area of the ex-Leipzig player and a cross shot that went just wide.
The hour-clock was approaching the hour and a half mark and FC Barcelona were looking for the goal that would give them the victory they so deserved. With five minutes left, the Blaugrana team took it upon themselves to dig deep and put in extra gear. Raphinha had a chance to score in a one-on-one after a superb pass from Pedri on the volley, but he was left out of the field and shot badly with his right foot. Right after, the Blaugrana '8' himself had a one-on-one with Oblak, but the Slovenian blocked the low shot from the Canary Islander.
No matter how hard the pupils directed for the last time, at least for now, by Marcus Sorg tried and approached the rival area, the goal did not come. As if that were not enough, in the last second, with the local players totally focused on the attack, Atlético carried out a perfect counterattack that Sorloth finished with a shot that he sent to the back of the net.
Thus, in a rather unfair way given what they showed on the pitch in this match, the colchoneros took the three points. This means that the Madrid team overtook the Barcelona team at the top of the table and Simeone's first victory in a Blaugrana home ground. The culés gave everything, but luck was not on their side.
Match details
- FC Barcelona, 1: Iñaki Peña; Koundé, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Balde; Casadó (Eric García, min. 80), Pedri; Raphinha, Gavi (Ferrán, min. 64), Fermín (Dani Olmo, min. 64); and Lewandowski.
- Atlético de Madrid, 2: Oblak; Marcos Llorente (Le Normand, min. 73), Giménez (Witsel, min. 52), Lenglet, Javi Galán; Giuliano Simeone (Molina, min. 62), De Paul, Barrios, Gallagher (Koke, min. 62); Griezmann (Sorlioth, min. 73) and Julián Álvarez.
- Goals: 1-0 Pedri (min. 30). 1-1 De Paul (min. 60). 1-2 Sorloth (min. 90+6).
- Referee: De Burgos Bengoetxea (Bizcaian committee). Showed the yellow card to the colchoneros Axel Witsel and Le Normand.