Diego Simeone’s males grabbed a late aim to current the Atletico Madrid coach along with his first-ever away win at Barcelona on Saturday.
Pedri despatched the Catalans forward however second-half objectives from Rodrigo De Paul and Alexander Sorloth helped Diego Simeone’s aspect win 2-1 and transfer three factors clear on the prime of the desk, having performed one match fewer than Barca.
Hansi Flick’s aspect dominated on the Olympic stadium however Atletico clung on earlier than claiming a twelfth consecutive victory throughout all competitions with Sorloth’s stoppage-time strike.
Barcelona began the season in excellent kind however have stumbled in latest weeks and have now received simply one in all their final seven league video games.
This was their third consecutive house league defeat, their worst such run since 1987, whereas it was additionally Simeone’s first ever away triumph towards Barcelona in La Liga.
“It’s inexplicable … we had the game in our hands and we didn’t take advantage,” stated Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi.
Champions Real Madrid face Sevilla on Sunday and can even transfer forward of Barcelona with a victory.
“It’s truly a tough defeat to take, when you don’t finish a game, this is what can happen,” Pedri instructed Movistar.
“We have the break now to reset mentally and physically.”
Barcelona, lacking injured teenage star Lamine Yamal, managed the primary half and suffocated Atletico with their press.
“We will fight for everything, we will fight for every point to win this (league),” insisted Flick, who stated he was happy with the efficiency regardless of the outcome.
“This is how we want to play in the future, so we will take this and bring it with us to next year.”
Barcelona took the lead after half-hour with Pedri each the architect and scorer of the aim.
The Spain midfielder burst ahead with the ball and fed Gavi, who tried to show and inadvertently nudged the ball again to the surging Pedri, who entered the field and slotted previous Oblak.
‘We resisted’
Barcelona ought to have doubled their lead early within the second half, with Fermin Lopez denied by Oblak’s legs earlier than Raphinha hit the crossbar.
Pedri performed within the Brazilian winger with a fantastic cross excessive and Raphinha lofted the ball over the goalkeeper nevertheless it struck the woodwork on its approach down.
Moments later Atletico have been degree, with Marc Casado’s misguided backheel clearance falling to De Paul on the sting of the world.
The in-form Argentine midfielder completed with a agency low effort into the underside nook for his third aim in his final 4 league video games.
In the ultimate levels, each groups tried to grab a winner, with La Liga’s prime goalscorer Robert Lewandowski lacking from point-blank vary, though Ferran Torres appeared offside within the build-up.
At the opposite finish, Inaki Pena made a fantastic save to maintain Pablo Barrios at bay, whereas Oblak saved from Raphinha after one other excellent Pedri ball.
The excellent Canarian midfielder had an opportunity to attain himself however Oblak once more proved too laborious to beat, and his efforts didn’t go unrewarded.
Deep in stoppage time, Nahuel Molina crossed for normal super-sub Sorloth to blast house and guarantee Atletico will probably be prime of the pile at Christmas.
“We’d never won at Barcelona since I arrived, at last we’ve done it,” Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak instructed Movistar.
“We suffered a lot, we started badly … but we are in very good form, we resisted, and after going a goal down we knew how to bear it out without letting in the second.”
This season Atletico have scored within the ninetieth minute or past in 13 video games throughout all competitions, with their substitutes and squad depth key.
Sorloth has began simply seven video games within the league for Atletico however is the staff’s prime goalscorer with eight strikes.
“I spoke to (Sorloth) three or four weeks ago, explaining the idea that I had … his 20, 30 or 40 minutes are extraordinary,” stated Simeone.
Earlier, Athletic Bilbao beat Osasuna 2-1 to tighten their grip on fourth place.
Source: www.dailysabah.com