Barcelona continues its brilliance in the Spanish League, achieving its fourth consecutive victory, as it defeated Atlético Madrid with a score of (3-1) in the match that brought the two teams together on Tuesday evening at the “Spotify Camp Nou” stadium as part of the 19th round of La Liga.
Barcelona’s goals were scored by Raphinha, Dani Olmo, and Ferran Torres in the 26th, 65th, and 90+6 minutes, respectively. While “Alejandro Baena” scored Atlético Madrid’s only goal in the 19th minute.
With this victory, Barcelona raised its score to 37 points, strengthening its lead in the league standings and widening the gap with second-place “Real Madrid” to 3 points. In contrast, Atlético Madrid’s score froze at 31 points, placing it in fourth place.
Beginning of threats
The match witnessed a pressing start from Barcelona, as the Brazilian “Raphinha” launched the first real threat in the 9th minute with a shot that went over the crossbar.
In contrast, Atlético relied on long balls, and almost posed a threat from “Baena’s” cross, which “Gerard Martin” cleared to a corner kick.
The first injury occurred early in the 13th minute with the departure of “Johnny Cardoso” due to a knee injury, which prompted “Simeone” to intervene and bring in captain “Koke” to strengthen the midfield.
“Los Rojiblancos” succeeded in scoring the first goal in the 19th minute, after a long pass that bypassed the Barcelona defense, “Baena” received it and calmly placed it in the net. The referee initially cancelled the goal for offside, but after referring to the video technology, it was confirmed.
In the 23rd minute, the match ignited with a wonderful attack led by “Lamine Yamal”, followed by a series of opportunities that ended with a well-deserved penalty kick after “Barrios” intervened on “Dani Olmo” inside the area.
But “Lewandowski” missed the penalty kick in a strange way, shooting the ball over the goal.
In the 26th minute, from a skillful pass from “Pedri” behind the defenders, “Raphinha” went one-on-one and scored a wonderful goal after dribbling past “Oblak”, bringing the match back to square one.
After the goal, Barcelona’s pace increased and its attempts multiplied through “Lamine Yamal” and “Balde”, while “Oblak” saved a dangerous header from “Lewandowski” in the 38th minute, ending the first half in a 1-1 draw.
At the beginning of the second half, “Julian Alvarez” tried to surprise the team with a shot from a difficult angle in the 52nd minute, but “Juan Garcia” was alert.
Immediately afterwards, “Yamal” dribbled past the “Rojiblancos” defense to put “Raphinha” in a one-on-one situation in the 53rd minute, but the Brazilian sent the ball far from the goal.
Atlético responded quickly with a dangerous attempt by “Giuliano Simeone” in the 54th minute, but the final touch was unsuccessful. Before Barcelona returned to threaten “Oblak’s” goal with a quick counter-attack led by “Olmo” and reached “Lewandowski”, but he was unable to catch the ball.
In the 65th minute, a well-organized attack came for Barcelona: a pass from “Pedri” penetrated the depth and reached “Dani Olmo”, who exchanged the ball with “Lewandowski” before firing a ground ball with his left foot that settled in the net, putting the home team ahead with the second goal.
But the joy did not last long, as “Olmo” injured his shoulder immediately after the scene, and left the field to be replaced by the Englishman “Marcus Rashford”.
Atlético’s most dangerous opportunity came in the 80th minute when “Almada” was completely one-on-one with goalkeeper “Juan Garcia” after a mistake by “Cubarsi”, but he shot the ball wide of the goal in a strange way, wasting the opportunity to adjust the result.
Barcelona’s dominance continued until “Ferran Torres” succeeded in scoring the third goal in the 90+6 minute, after receiving a cross from “Balde” and firing a powerful shot with his right that settled in the net of goalkeeper “Oblak”.
