Barcelona claimed a 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid at the Nou Camp, moving four points clear at the top of La Liga.
Atletico initially took the lead in the 19th minute when Alex Baena capitalized on a long pass over Barcelona’s high defensive line and dinked the ball past goalkeeper Joan Garcia. The assistant referee had flagged for offside, but after a VAR review, the goal was confirmed.
Barcelona responded quickly. Seven minutes later, Raphinha equalized after running onto a precise through ball from Pedri, rounding Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak before finishing into an empty net. The remainder of the first half was dominated by Barca, who were awarded a penalty when Pablo Barrios fouled Dani Olmo. However, Robert Lewandowski’s spot-kick went over the crossbar.
The second half turned into an intense, end-to-end battle. Dani Olmo gave Barcelona the lead with 25 minutes remaining, curling a shot into the bottom corner after a skilful run from young talent Lamine Yamal. Atletico had a chance to equalize when Thiago Almada missed an open goal following a one-on-one with Garcia. Ferran Torres then sealed the win with a close-range finish from Alejandro Balde’s cross, securing Barcelona’s comeback victory.
This win is particularly significant as it follows Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clásico last month, which left them five points behind. After five subsequent matches, Barcelona now holds a comfortable lead at the top, despite having played one more game than Los Blancos. Real Madrid will face Athletic Club in Bilbao on Wednesday, giving Barcelona a chance to further extend their advantage.
The match was not without concerns for Barcelona. Olmo sustained a shoulder injury while scoring, and both Lewandowski and Raphinha missed clear scoring opportunities, which could have extended Barca’s lead even further.
Barcelona’s comeback highlights their resilience under coach Hansi Flick, as they recovered from an early setback to dominate possession and create numerous chances. With this result, the Catalan side is well-positioned to maintain its push for the La Liga title, while Atletico must regroup quickly to stay competitive in the top half of the table.
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