Atletico 2-0 Barcelona: Suarez scores as disastrous Barca suffer loss to Atleti

Luis Suarez scored against his former club to help Atletico Madrid defeat Barcelona 2-0 on Saturday night at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano.

Match Report

Thomas Lemar gave the home side a boost with a fine finish before the Uruguayan striker scored his first goal against the side where he won so many domestic and international titles. For Barcelona, it was another dismal evening and registered as their first league defeat of the season.

Suspended coach Ronald Koeman handed starts to Nico and Gavi, plus Philippe Coutinho, while Luuk de Jong and Eric Garcia were relegated to the bench. For Atletico, the big call from boss Diego Simeone was Joao Felix partnering with Luis Suarez up top and former Barcelona man Antoine Griezmann on the bench.

The early chances for Atletico and Lemar would break things open midway through the half with some slick passing between Joao Felix and Suarez opening up a lane for Lemar, who ran onto a pass and finished past Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for a 1-0 lead.

The chances started to come in furious fashion, with Coutinho nearly scoring an equaliser for the visitors and then Suarez missing a chance. The former Barcelona No.9 would not miss, though, at the second time of asking, as he gathered in a lifted cross from Lemar, took a touch and fired to give Atletico a 2-0 lead right before the half-time whistle.

There were changes during the break, with Sergi Roberto on to replace Nico for Barcelona and Kieran Tripper for Rodrigo De Paul.

Later on it was Ansu Fati replacing Coutinho, who arguably had the best scoring opportunities of any Barcelona player on the day. Meanwhile, Angel Correa replaced Joao Felix, who enjoyed a superb day, and Griezmann came on for Suarez in an exchange of ex-Barcelona forwards.

Time was winding down on Barcelona and the chances were few and far between, so Luuk de Jong and Riqui Puig were the latest hopes on in place of Oscar Mingueza and Gavi.

But in the end, it was another punchless night for Barcelona, who flailed in front of goal and allowed home goalkeeper Jan Oblak and the Atletico defence to see things out in straightforward fashion.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

9' Lemar's long shot wide out

16' Felix's shot inches wide

19' Yellow Card! Gavi booked

22' GOAL! Atletico 1-0 Barcelona (Lemar)

28' CLOSE! Suarez's shot wide out

43' GOAL! Atletico 2-0 Barcelona (Suarez)

46' Sub! Roberto replaces Nico

49' Coutinho goes down in the box but ref says no penalty!

54' No pen! Carrasco brought down in the box

60' CHANCE! Coutinho's shot stopped

66' Felix's long shot too straight

69' Fati's free kick over the bar

74' CLOSE! Griezmann misses good chance

85' Depay's free kick wide out

Line-ups

Atletico XI: Suarez, Oblak, Savic, Koke, Carrasco, Lemar, De Paul, Gimenez, Hermoso, Llorente, Felix

Subs: Herrera, Vrsaljko, Griezmann, Trippier, B. Lecomte, Felipe, Correa, Saponjic, Lodi

Barcelona XI: Pique, Busquets, Coutinho, Ter Stegen, Depay, De Jong, Ronald Araujo, Dest, Óscar Mingueza, Nico González, Gavi

Subs: Alba, Luuk de Jong, Neto, Roberto, Umtiti, Lenglet, Pena, Eric Garcia, Riqui Puig, Fati, Y. Demir