A rollercoaster clash at Camp Nou sees the Catalans overcome a deficit and a missed penalty to secure a pivotal victory.
Barcelona seized control of the LaLiga title race with a dramatic 3-1 victory over Atlético Madrid on Saturday night, ending the visitors’ impressive 13-game unbeaten league run and stretching their own lead at the top to five points.
The match exploded into life early, with both teams trading attacks. Despite Barcelona’s control of the ball, it was Atlético who struck first. Midfielder Alex Baena timed a stunning run from the center circle perfectly, charging through the heart of the Barça defense before coolly slotting home to stun the Camp Nou crowd.
The lead was short-lived. Barça, stung into action, poured forward. Just seven minutes later, Brazilian winger Raphinha found a pocket of space, danced around Atlético’s renowned goalkeeper Jan Oblak, and tucked in a slick equalizer.
The home side’s pressure seemed destined to produce a second goal, especially when Dani Olmo was tripped in the box. However, striker Robert Lewandowski sent his penalty kick soaring into the stands, leaving fans in disbelief. Oblak then compounded Barça’s frustration with a phenomenal save to deny Lewandowski’s powerful header just before halftime.
The second half became a story of relentless Barcelona pressure and agonizing near-misses at both ends. Just as it seemed Atlético might hold on, Olmo redeemed his team, slipping away from his marker to guide a left-footed finish into the net, though he was injured in the process.
With Atlético’s resistance broken and their key attacker Baena already off with a hamstring injury, Barça dominated the final stages. The visitors’ misery was compounded when substitute Thiago Almada somehow missed an open goal. Ferran Torres, who had replaced the injured Olmo, put the exclamation point on the night by firing home in stoppage time to seal the crucial win.
The victory not only gives Barcelona a significant cushion in the title chase but also reinforces their formidable home record against Atlético, having now lost just once in their last twenty league meetings at Camp Nou. For Diego Simeone’s side, a proud unbeaten run is over, replaced by a five-point gap to chase.
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