In a thrilling La Liga clash at Camp Nou, Barcelona edged Atletico Madrid 3-1 to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Atletico Madrid struck first in the 19th minute through Alex Baena’s clinical finish, capitalizing on Barcelona’s high line.
The hosts dominated possession and leveled in the 26th via Raphinha’s sharp strike, extending Barca’s scoring streak to 35 games.
Dani Olmo sealed the comeback with a composed low drive after a slick team move involving Robert Lewandowski.
Atletico Madrid pushed late but couldn’t equalize, leaving them three points adrift in fourth.
Ferran Torres smashed in Barcelona’s third goal off the bench, killing any Atletico comeback hopes in style.
Here are the Barcelona player ratings:
Joan Garcia (7/10)
Made crucial early saves to deny Atletico after Baena’s shock opener, keeping Barcelona’s hopes alive in a frantic start.
Distribution faltered under intense pressure from Simeone’s high press, leading to turnovers in dangerous areas.
Jules Koundé (7/10)
Won vital free-kicks and headed clear multiple set-piece threats, anchoring the right flank solidly.
Occasionally exposed during quick transitions, but showed a strong recovery pace to limit damage.
Pau Cubarsí (7/10)
Held his own in physical duels against Atletico’s forwards, displaying maturity beyond his years centrally.
Struggled with Julian Alvarez’s bursts on the counter, needing midfield cover to stay composed.
Gerard Martín (7.5/10)
Offered decent width on the overlap, but couldn’t deliver testing crosses into the box consistently.
Performed reliably in defense during a demanding matchup against Atletico’s wing play.
Alejandro Balde (7.5/10)
Used his explosive speed to neutralize threats down Atletico’s right, winning key one-on-one battles.
Pushed forward with overlaps but lacked the final delivery to trouble the visitors’ backline.
Eric García (8/10)
Brought composure to midfield transitions, partnering Pedri to break Atletico’s pressing lines effectively.
Lacked the creativity to carve out spaces, often resorting to safe sideways passes.
Pedri (8.5/10)
Dominated midfield with intelligent free-kick wins and precise driving runs that disrupted Simeone’s engine room.
His vision and energy were pivotal in providing the assist to open the scoring for Barcelona, regaining control after a shaky opening.
Lamine Yamal (8/10)
Took on defenders with dazzling dribbles and fired shots during promising counterattacks.
Final ball let him down slightly, missing chances to unlock Atletico’s stubborn low block.
Dani Olmo (7.5/10)
Found pockets of space and scored the second goal to give Barcelonan the lead and remained peripheral against Atletico’s compact midfield.
Struggled to produce decisive moments needed to dismantle the visitors’ organized defense.
Raphinha (8.5/10)
Scored the equalizer with cool composure, dragging Barcelona back level at a crucial juncture.
Posed constant danger from corners, wide free-kicks, and direct runs throughout the contest.
Robert Lewandowski (6.5/10)
Held up possession well under physical challenges, acting as a focal point for Barca’s attacks.
Became isolated as service dried up, with few clear sights against Atletico’s resilient center-backs.
Substitutes:
Ferran Torres (8/10)
Burst off the bench to smash Barcelona’s third goal, extinguishing Atletico’s faint hopes with ruthless precision and pace.
Linked brilliantly with teammates, adding dynamism to seal a hard-earned triumph.
Andreas Christensen (7/10)
Stepped in to organise the backline, winning headers and snuffing out counters with calm authority.
His aerial dominance effectively quelled Atletico’s late set-piece threats.
Marc Casado (6/10)
Brought fresh legs to midfield, pressing high and recycling possession neatly in limited minutes.
Lacked killer impact but helped maintain control during the closing stages.
Dro Fernandez (7/10)
Injected creativity from the bench, assisting key moves and driving forward with intelligent runs.
His vision unlocked spaces, contributing to Barcelona’s fluid attacking play.
Marcus Rashford (7/10)
Added explosive width and directness, troubling Atletico’s full-backs with searing pace on the flank.
Drew fouls and created overloads, enhancing Barca’s late-game threat.
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