BARCELONA.- Atlético de Madrid became the new leader of the Spanish League by winning 2-1 at FC Barcelona in injury time, thanks to a goal from the Norwegian Alexander Sorloth this Saturday on matchday 18.
The Barça team had taken the lead through Pedri (30), but a goal from Argentine Rodrigo De Paul (60) equalized the match, which ended up being decided by the Scandinavian (90+6) in the last breath.
Atlético had not won at Barcelona’s stadium since February 2006 and its coach, Diego Simeone, had never managed to emerge victorious as coach of the Barça fiefdom.
Furthermore, the colchoneros have managed to win their last 12 games, taking into account all competitions, and are only one away from equaling the historical record of consecutive wins in their history, the 13 they signed between August and October 2012, also under the Simeone’s orders.
‘Cholo’ Simeone’s pupils now have 41 points, surpassing Barcelona in the standings, which is left with 38. The red and whites also have one game less than the azulgranas, who only have one point more than Real Madrid (3rd) , which could also overtake him with his match on Sunday against Sevilla.
From more to less
The game started very differently than how it ended. Barça, who in their previous league games had drawn with Betis and had lost at home to Leganés, came out determined to correct course and were better in the first half, with suffocating pressure.
Both the Brazilian Raphinha on the right wing and Fermín on the left generated danger with incisive raids. But an immeasurable Pedri, very active in the distribution of the game, began an individual attack until he briefly gave the ball to Gavi so that he could return it and be able to score from point-blank range in the 30th despite the stretch of the Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Opposite, Atlético was barely able to peek into the rival area, beyond the final stages of the first half. The only chance that the Colchonero team enjoyed came in stoppage time, when Javi Galán crossed a ball that Argentine Julián Álvarez could not finish almost in goal, as Íñigo Martínez anticipated it.
“When you suffer more, you enjoy more”
As soon as the second half started, Barça seemed to follow the script of the first half and the chances kept coming against a busy Oblak.
But in the most unexpected moment, a serious error by Marc Casadó in his clearance, the only one so far, left the ball dead on the edge of the area and De Paul (60) took the opportunity to make a tight shot against the post, unstoppable for the goalkeeper Iñaki Peña.
“When you suffer more, you enjoy more. We faced a great rival. It had been many years since Atlético had won here, and we were also playing for the lead. There were many things. We are working hard. There are twelve victories in a row and they are the result of effort,” De Paul told television at the end of the meeting.
“Obviously we are excited to be leaders. It is enormously satisfying. When the work bears fruit, you feel completely satisfied,” continued the player, who has scored three goals in his last four games in the domestic championship.
After De Paul’s equalizer, the Catalans regained control of possession, generating moments of danger. In one of them, Lewandowski failed to connect with Raphinha’s assist in the 65th minute.
Pablo Barrios had it in his boots for Atlético in the 77th minute, but Peña took a providential leg after a left-footed shot from the youth squad. Oblak then saved the rojiblancos in the 88th minute after saving a shot from Pedri, who was left alone against the visiting goalkeeper.
While the Catalan team insisted on winning, Atlético ended up winning it after a spectacular counterattack. De Paul opened the ball for his compatriot Nahuel Molina in the right wing, who made a masterful pass from his sleeve, at ground level, to find Sorloth, who launched a lethal missile with his left foot (90+6).
