BARCELONA, Spain — Atlético Madrid had been 10 factors behind Barcelona at the beginning of November however will finish the yr three factors away from them on the high of LaLiga, and with a sport in hand after Alexander Sørloth’s 96th-minute winner capped a exceptional sport on the Olympic Stadium between the league’s high two.

Rodrigo De Paul’s strike had cancelled out Pedri’s opener in Barcelona on Saturday, however it was the house facet who had been pushing for the win late on. The board revealing six minutes of added time was greeted with roars from the native supporters as Barça, led by the good Pedri, threw every little thing ahead seeking a winner. However these six minutes resulted in despair, the one roars now coming from the few hundred away followers up excessive within the second tier, as Atlético made it 12 wins in a row in all competitions to firmly cement their title credentials.

Barça, in the meantime, are in free fall. They can’t even string two consecutive victories collectively, not to mention 12. After taking 33 factors from a attainable 36 to begin the season, Hansi Flick’s workforce wilted and have taken simply six from the final 21.

There are totally different theories for his or her capitulation. Their excessive line, so profitable, has been put below the microscope. Atlético had little luck right here till Sørloth’s aim, although, which exploited that line. De Paul carried the ball ahead after Barça had given it away. The Barça defence stepped as much as play offside, however they’d not taken into consideration the run from wing-back Nahuel Molina, who collected De Paul’s cross and crossed for Sørloth.

Tiredness is one other idea. 10 gamers have already clocked up over 1,500 minutes of motion this season and Raphinha advised ESPN within the week that fatigue has been a consider Barça successful what’s now simply as soon as of their final seven league video games. However they did not appear particularly drained in opposition to Atlético in a sport they began with depth and dominated for lengthy durations.

That provides Flick, who served the second of a two-game touchline ban in opposition to Atlético, some hope there’s mild on the finish of the tunnel. Dropped factors have typically come after they’ve least anticipated them — they misplaced at dwelling to Las Palmas and Leganés, too, and have now worryingly misplaced three in a row within the league on the Olympic Stadium — whereas they’ve dealt with themselves properly in opposition to the larger sides. Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have all been crushed.

Atlético could have joined that checklist if Barça’s ending had been higher. Gavi headed large, Iñigo Martínez and Fermín López fired straight at Jan Oblak, Pedri blazed over and Raphinha hit the bar. That was all earlier than De Paul’s equaliser, teed up by Marc Casadó when the midfielder didn’t cope with a Julián Álvarez cross. At 1-1, additional possibilities got here for substitute Dani Olmo, Raphinha and Pedri, however both the goal was missed or Oblak stood tall.

Barça ended the sport with 19 pictures and an xG of three.04.

“It is apparent we have now an ideal goalkeeper,” Atlético coach Diego Simeone mentioned after the sport.

“Jan was massively vital.”

Atlético’s possibilities had been few and much between. That they had zero pictures within the first half. De Paul’s aim was their first on the right track. Pablo Barrios did have one, denied by a high quality Iñaki Peña save, however as six minutes of stoppage time went up, it was Barça who believed they may get the winner.

“We performed an excellent match,” Flick mentioned.

“It was actually unbelievable how we performed. That is how I need to see my workforce. Our model, how we need to play, it was actually nice. I’m proud.

“It exhibits additionally that Atlético is an skilled workforce they usually [were] simply ready for this and for them, it is sufficient.”

Flick’s feedback do Atlético some disservice. He had spoken pre-match about how harmful they’re late in matches. They’ve now scored 13 targets after the eightieth minute to both win or draw video games in all competitions, together with a 94th-minute winner from Antoine Griezmann as they got here from behind to beat Sevilla 4-3 simply two weeks in the past.

Doing it at Barça, although, does really feel totally different. This was their first win in Barcelona since 2006 within the league and their first ever within the metropolis below Simeone. It is no marvel the bench poured onto the pitch after Sørloth’s winner.

Atlético have now received seven in a row in LaLiga and can finish 2024 as the highest workforce in Spain no matter how Actual Madrid fare in opposition to Sevilla on Sunday. Their numbers are as spectacular as Barça’s are miserable.

Simeone’s twice led them to the title earlier than, toppling Barça and Actual Madrid within the course of, might or not it’s occurring once more?

“I will not go down that path, under no circumstances,” he mentioned usually coy method when quizzed on the facet’s probabilities of successful the league.

He might be disenchanted there’s now a winter break. For Barça, alternatively, it comes at time. It can give Lamine Yamal time to recuperate from an ankle harm — they’ve nonetheless not received a sport when he is not began — and others time to relaxation, like Pedri, who was excellent in opposition to Atlético.

Not solely did he rating Barça’s aim, however he performed two good passes to arrange Raphinha possibilities and usually dictated the sport. It was an announcement efficiency from a participant who appears to have overcome the harm issues that plagued his earlier two seasons.

“It is actually good to see that he is now on this stage,” Flick mentioned.

“How he performed was unbelievable, the aim was unbelievably good. If you see him now on the pitch, he is additionally teaching the opposite gamers round him. That is good. It is the following step for him. He is 22-years-old and he is on the precise method.”

Pedri deserved extra, however as a substitute, he ended the sport slouched on the pitch as Atlético celebrated in entrance of their followers what might show an enormous three factors in what’s creating into an interesting three-way title race.

“We knew methods to defend and undergo in opposition to a workforce that performs good soccer,” Simeone mentioned.

“The adjustments gave us power within the remaining phases and the counterattack to win it was beautiful. It gave us the possibility to win a sport that Barça most likely deserved somewhat extra from.”