Barcelona edge past 10-man Atletico to extend La Liga lead
Barcelona moved seven points clear at the top of La Liga with a dramatic 2-1 victory over 10-man Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano on Sunday. Robert Lewandowski scored a late winner, coming off the bench to secure three crucial points for Hansi Flick's side just days before their Champions League quarter-final first leg.
The victory was sealed in the 87th minute through Lewandowski's fortunate intervention. Substitute Joao Cancelo cut in from the left and fired a powerful shot that Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso could only parry onto the shoulder of the Polish striker, with the ball deflecting into the net. The goal completed a comeback after Giuliano Simeone, son of Atletico coach Diego, had given the hosts a first-half lead.
Simeone opened the scoring in the 39th minute, finishing coolly after being played through by Clement Lenglet. Barcelona's response was swift, however, with Marcus Rashford equalising just three minutes later with a fine curled effort from the edge of the box. The match's major turning point came in first-half stoppage time when Atletico's Nico Gonzalez was sent off following a VAR review, his initial yellow card upgraded to a straight red for a dangerous tackle on Lamine Yamal.
Barcelona themselves faced a scare early in the second half when defender Gerard Martin was initially shown a red card for a challenge on Thiago Almada, but a subsequent VAR check led referee Mateo Busquets to downgrade the punishment to a yellow. Playing against ten men for the entire second period, Barcelona struggled to create clear chances until Lewandowski's late contribution, with Flick having opted to start the veteran forward on the bench in an experimental lineup featuring Dani Olmo as a false nine.
The result piles pressure on second-placed Real Madrid, who lost to Mallorca on Saturday, and significantly boosts Barcelona's title credentials with the season entering its final stretch. For Atletico, the defeat is a setback in their fight for a top-four finish, compounded by the dismissal of Gonzalez. The match was also notable for a glaring first-half miss by Antoine Griezmann, who struck the crossbar from close range with the goal at his mercy.
Flick will be pleased with the resilience shown by his team, particularly given the rotated side and the upcoming European commitment. The German coach now faces the challenge of integrating his returning stars, like Lewandowski, while maintaining momentum in both competitions. Atletico, meanwhile, must regroup quickly, with the red card likely to force a defensive reshuffle for their next fixture.
