Atlético de Madrid - Barcelona | LaLiga Barcelona deepens Atlético de Madrid's wound with a comeback win at the Metropolitano
In a thrilling match, Barcelona defeated Atlético de Madrid 3-2 at the Metropolitano. Lamine Yamal was one of the standout figures of the match.
FC Barcelona won 2-4 against Atlético de Madrid at the Metropolitano in a matchday 28 LaLiga EA Sports match played this Sunday. The Catalans regained the lead, which Real Madrid held for a day, with one game in hand due to the suspension of their last match against Osasuna.
Atleti took the lead with goals from Julián Álvarez and Alexander Sorloth, but Barça came back with goals from Robert Lewandowski, who now has 22 in the league, a brace from Ferran Torres, and another from Lamine Yamal. The young Barça player was named the match's MVP.
The result is also important, as the Atleti side would win on goal difference in the event of a draw, although the gap is now four points. "The fatigue from the midweek game weighed heavily on us," Marcos Llorente told DAZN at the end. The physical and mental fatigue weighed heavily on us, as Atleti were coming off a dramatic Champions League exit against Real Madrid.
Much has been said about the penalty shootout and Julián Álvarez's double touch. It continued to be a topic of conversation this Sunday at the boardroom luncheon, as Colchonero president Enrique Cerezo demonstrated. Anger floated in the air and in the stands: the usual chants against their eternal rival rose in decibels this Sunday.
Barça suffered that anger, although it took time to show. The Catalans dominated possession, as expected, and had Atlético Madrid on the back foot in the opening minutes. But little by little, Diego Simeone's side shook off that dominance. His attackers, especially his son Giuliano, began to run and began looking for Julián Álvarez. The Argentine, a reluctant protagonist in the Champions League penalty, became the hero when he tapped the ball into the net in the final minute of the first half (minute 45), after a pass from Giuliano. A morale-boosting goal before the break.
Hansi Flick, more accurate with his substitutions
After the restart, Barça continued to try, with an enraged Lamine Yamal repeatedly trying his hand at making a run down the left flank. Julián also had his chance, with an Olympic-quality attempt. The game of substitutions began between two teams that are used to making the most of their substitutions. Sorloth came on for the Rojiblancos, who are on a roll against Barça, and Ferran Torres came on for Hansi Flick's team. Both were decisive.
The Norwegian started the scoring in the 70th minute after a great counterattacking move, masterfully guided by another newcomer, Connor Gallagher. It seemed as if the Atlético fans were finally going to have some joy after a week of defeat at Getafe, elimination from the Champions League, and pent-up anger. But almost immediately after, Lewandowski scored after a superb piece of control, and all hell broke loose.
Ferran Torres then headed in a cross from Raphinha, who momentarily and very opportunely switched sides with Lamine Yamal, and leveled the score (76th minute). But it wasn't going to end there. As Llorente told DAZN, Atleti had run out of gas, although some players who hadn't accumulated as many minutes as Nahuel Molina didn't give up. Sorloth won almost every one of them in the air and became an asset in trying to get behind Barça's advanced defense.
But Lamine Yamal hadn't had his last word. The 17-year-old Spanish international found his goal after so much searching, with help from Reinildo, who got just enough touch to deflect it past Oblak (92nd minute). Atlético still had six minutes left to at least salvage a draw, but fatigue and a mental blow had already taken their toll, and after a loss in his own defensive line, Ferran put the ball to bed, which the Barça fans celebrated almost like a league title.
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