Robert Lewandowski got here off the bench to seize a late winner for Barcelona in what may show a vastly signficant day within the Liga title race.
Just hours after Real Madrid lost 2-1 at Real Mallorca, Barca got here from behind to beat 10-man Atletico Madrid and extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points.
It should additionally act as a psychological increase for Barca, who face Atleti once more within the Champions League quarter-finals with the primary leg on Wednesday night time at Camp Nou.
Giuliano Simeone put Atleti forward just for Marcus Rashford to equalise virtually instantly in a frantic ending to the primary half that culminated in a purple card for the house aspect’s Nico Gonzalez.
Barca struggled to make a lot headway in opposition to the ten males till Lewandowski was in the best place on the proper time to divert the ball residence after Juan Musso had made a superb save to disclaim Joao Cancelo with three minutes remaining.
Rashford stars for Barcelona with sensible show
Rashford was given the possibility to steer the road with Ferran Torres and Lewandowski each on the bench and he began brightly, combining properly with Cancelo to create an opportunity for Lamine Yamal that was saved by Musso.
The England worldwide then examined Musso with a free-kick that was comfortably saved by the Atletico goalkeeper.
Having spent the opening 12 minutes on the again foot, Atleti sprung ahead and must have opened the scoring. Antoine Griezmann, who will be part of Orlando Metropolis on the finish of the season, almost gave the house followers one other memorable second by skipping inside Pau Cubarsi and Ronald Araujo however then hurried his shot and it flew straight at Joan Garcia.
Fermin Lopez got here shut twice in three minutes after seizing on passes from Yamal. The primary effort was saved by Musso whereas the Spain worldwide prodded the second vast beneath stress from Nahuel Molina.
Griezmann then shot vast when properly positioned earlier than an excellent transfer from Barca, that included Yamal, Dani Olmo and Lopez, noticed teenage winger Yamal burst clear and clip a shot over the advancing Musso nevertheless it hit the put up.
Atleti took the lead shortly afterwards. Clement Lenglet’s lengthy ball excessive dissected the Barca defence and Simeone strode via unchallenged to fireplace previous Garcia.
It took the guests simply two minutes to search out an equaliser. Rashford performed a one-two with Olmo after which fired a shot via the legs of Musso at his close to put up.
Koke, Lopez and Molina have been all booked for his or her half in a melee earlier than Gonzalez was sent-off earlier than half-time after taking down Yamal as he threatened to burst clear. Referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer initially confirmed the Argentine a second yellow nevertheless it was upgraded to a straight purple by the VAR.
Marc Bernal had changed Araujo shortly after Atleti’s aim and he almost accomplished the turnaround earlier than the break by stabbing Rashford’s free-kick narrowly vast.
Barcelona virtually squander benefit
It was benefit Barca on the break with 45 minutes to discover a winner in opposition to the ten males of Atletico however the guests virtually handed the initiative straight again to their hosts inside 45 seconds of the restart. Full-back Gerard Martin caught Thiago Almada with a late problem and was proven a purple card just for the VAR to intervene and downgrade it to a yellow.
Having maintained the numerical superiority, Barca dominated possession however couldn’t discover a well beyond a usually well-organised Atleti backline.
The guests didn’t actually threaten a second aim till Yamal discovered area simply exterior the realm after some chic talent left 4 defenders in his wake however he dragged his shot vast.
Musso then saved properly from substitute Torres earlier than denying the striker once more after 71 minutes with an excellent reflex save following good work from Olmo.
Lewandowski changed Rashford with 10 minutes to go and the veteran Pole had the ultimate say, though it’s debatable how a lot he knew about it.
The unlucky Musso made a fantastic save to maintain out Cancelo’s effort however the ball ricocheted onto Lewandowski’s chest and flew into the online.
