Barcelona hauled themselves back from two goals down to snatch a superb 4-2 win at La Liga title rivals Atletico Madrid.
2024/2025 La Liga
2-4
Match Report
Diego Simeone called on his players to channel their anger of controversially being dumped out of Europe by Real Madrid in midweek as Barcelona landed in the Spanish capital.
Heading into the game, Real Madrid had edged back up to top spot, with their two rivals chasing hard ahead of the international break.
However on a crazy night in Madrid, the tie flipped in Barcelona’s favour late on, and they now retake top spot.
The game turned on the one real chance of the first half as man of the moment Julian Alvarez smashed home Giuliano Simeone’s pass from close range.
On the back of a frustrating week for Simeone, his team showed their steel for the battle, as Sorloth scored off the bench for the third successive game against Barcelona this season.
However, Robert Lewandowski quickly dragged Barcelona back to within a a one-goal deficit, and the visitors sensed their chance to seize something, as substitute Ferran Torres burst into the box to smash home a shock leveller.
Atletico Madrid threw everything into holding on in the closing stages, but they were denied in sensational fashion, as Lamine Yamal’s deflected long range hit flew into the top corner.
Atletico Madrid are next in action away at Espanyol in La Liga on March 29 with Barcelona hosting neighbours Girona in a Catalan derby the following day and Hansi Flick’s team still have a game in hand.
Both of those games will serve as a warm up for the final meeting between Simeone and Flick this season as the latter heads back to Madrid for a Copa del Rey semi final second leg on April 2.
Sorloth netted after the 90 minute mark in a wild 4-4 first leg draw with both sides hunting for multiple trophies this season as Real Madrid or Real Sociedad wait on the horizon in the final.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
2' Guiliano Simeone gets an early chance but he fires high over the bar
4' Highlight from Atletico vs Barcelona
6' CHANCE! Yamal ghosts into the box but curls a shot just wide
14' Kounde swings a cross into the box and Oblak catches Lewandowski's header
21' Inigo brings down Llorente in the box and the referee says no penalty
22' Match Event for Atletico vs Barcelona
26' Jules Koundé is shown the yellow card for a bad foul
29' Match Event for Atletico vs Barcelona
37' Reinildo is booked for a foul on Lamine Yamal
44' Lewandowski blasts a shot off the crossbar after latching on to Pedri's pass
45' Guilano finds Alvarez who slots in from close range! Atletico 1-0 Barcelona
49' Lamine Yamal has his head in his hands as his low shot goes just wide
51' Julian Alvarez has a great corner which is saved by Szczesny
60' Atletico make a double change as Gallagher & Sorloth replace Alvarez & Lino
63' Highlight from Atletico vs Barcelona
67' Garcia and Ferran Torres come on to replace Casado and Olmo
70' GOAL! Super sub Sorloth doubles the lead for the hosts! Atletico 2-0 Barcelona
72' GOAL! Lewandowski pulls one back from Inigo's assist! Atletico 2-1 Barcelona
76' Yamal has a shot from Kounde saved by the goalkeeper
78' GOAL! Substitute Torres equalizes from Raphinha's assist! Atletico 2-2 Barcelona
83' Sorloth strikes a shot well wide and he's already offside
88' Match Event for Atletico vs Barcelona
92' GOAL! Yamal's shot takes a deflection off Reinildo! Atletico 2-3 Barcelona
98' GOAL! Atletico 2-4 Barcelona (Ferran Torres)
Line-ups
Atletico XI: Oblak, Griezmann, Lenglet, De Paul, Mandava, Llorente, Le Normand, Lino, Alvarez, Giuliano Simeone, Barrios
Subs: Witsel, Azpilicueta, Lemar, Sørloth, Musso, Gimenez, Galan, Molina, Gallagher, Riquelme, Antonio Gomis
Barcelona XI: Szczesny, Lewandowski, I. Martinez, Olmo, Raphinha, Kounde, Pedri, Balde, Casado, Yamal, Cubarsi
Subs: Pena, Ferran Torres, Araujo, Eric Garcia, Pau Víctor, Pablo Torre, Gavi, Fermín López, Gerard Martín, Héctor Fort, Diego Kochen