New Delhi: Atletico Madrid clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, marking their first away win against Barcelona in 18 years. Alexander Sorloth’s injury-time goal sealed their place atop La Liga, leaving Barca three points behind in the standings. The result marked Atletico’s 12th consecutive win in all competitions while Barcelona’s poor home form continued with a third consecutive league loss.
Barcelona opened the scoreline as Pedri scored in the 30th minute with a composed finish. After a clever backheel assist from Gavi, the Spanish midfielder calmly slided the ball past goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Despite relentless pressure and multiple chances, Barcelona failed to extend their lead. Raphinha rattled the crossbar with a lob while Oblak denied Fermin Lopez and Pedri in crucial moments.
— FCB WORLD (@FCB_World27) December 21, 2024
Missed chances prove costly
The second half began with Barcelona surging forward but inefficiency in front of goal haunted them throughout. Raphinha’s one-on-one miss and Robert Lewandowski’s failure to convert from close range epitomized their struggles. Meanwhile, Atletico defended resolutely with Oblak delivering a masterclass between the posts.
— FCB WORLD (@FCB_World27) December 21, 2024
Rodrigo De Paul capitalized on Barcelona’s mistakes to level the score on the hour mark. Marc Casado’s attempted backheel clearance fell kindly to De Paul who hammered a low shot into the bottom corner.
Sorloth’s goal sealed the night
As the match edged into injury time, Atletico delivered the knockout blow. Nahuel Molina surged down the flank and delivered a pinpoint cross allowing Sorloth to fire the ball into the roof of the net in the sixth minute of stoppage time. The dramatic finish sent the visiting fans into joy and marked yet another game-changing contribution from Atletico’s substitutes who have now scored 11 goals this season so far.
SORLOTH WITH THE LAST SECOND WINNER!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/9CIbZLIlGV
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) December 21, 2024
What next?
For Atletico, the victory capped an extraordinary turnaround. From trailing Barcelona by 10 points in early November, Diego Simeone’s side now sit three points clear at the top with a game in hand. Meanwhile, Barcelona under Hansi Flick are grappling with a dismal run that has seen them collect just five points from their last six league matches.
This defeat leaves Barcelona vulnerable to slipping further with Real Madrid poised to overtake them if they beat Sevilla. Atletico’s relentless form lead by Simeone’s tactical brilliance and great substitution timing has turned the La Liga title race on its head.
As the calendar year ends, Atletico are in pole position to challenge for the title while Barcelona need to regroup and rediscover their early-season dominance. Hansi Flick has expressed confidence, stating that the team will come back stronger after the break.
Alexander Sorloth’s injury-time winner secures Atletico Madrid’s 12th straight victory while Barcelona’s missed chances continue their home struggles. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
