More pain for Atleti as Barça strike pivotal LaLiga title blow

MADRID — Barcelona delivered a sensational 4-2 comeback win over title rivals Atlético Madrid on Sunday, to go top of the LaLiga table.

Julián Álvarez put Atlético ahead in the 45th minute at the Metropolitano — finishing off a sweeping move involving Antoine Griezmann and Giuliano Simeone — before substitute Alexander Sørloth doubled the hosts’ lead, converting Conor Gallagher’s cross.

Barça responded with two goals in six minutes from Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, before a dramatic, 92nd-minute strike from Lamine Yamal — his shot from distance deflecting off defender Reinildo Mandava — put them in front, before Torres added a second late on.

The result catapults Barcelona to the top of the table on 60 points, level with Real Madrid, with a game in hand. Atlético are four points behind the pair, and under pressure after two stinging disappointments in four days following their heartbreaking UEFA Champions League exit midweek. — Alex Kirkland

Barça comeback strikes title blow

You could feel the significance of Barça’s stoppage-time goals in the players’ celebrations on the pitch.

Yamal peeled his shirt off after his 92nd-minute deflected effort saw Barça come from two down to lead for the first time in the game. When Torres added the fourth moments later, the substitutes poured on to the pitch.

When these two teams met last month in the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg, Barça had come from 2-0 down to lead 4-2. That game ended 4-4. There was to be no such late pain for Hansi Flick’s side on Sunday.

It had not been a vintage Barça performance for large parts of the evening. Yamal and Lewandowski both hit the woodwork in the first half, missing Barça’s best chances, and neither Pedri nor Raphinha could really get going. Iñigo Martínez was too deep for both Atlético goals, playing Gallagher and Griezmann onside respectively, and at 2-0 it looked like Barça were the team who had played 120 minutes plus penalties against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

But Flick’s Barça are as fit as any team in the league and there is a spirit growing among the players; a belief, too. That belief was fuelled by a brilliant Lewandowski goal to get them back in the game. Torres then drew them level off the bench, connecting with a fizzed Raphinha cross. And just when it looked like a draw was coming, Yamal’s effort looped in, and Torres added the fourth with Atleti out on their feet. It felt like a huge night in the title race. — Sam Marsden

Álvarez shrugs off penalty drama to strike first

Two touches from Álvarez sent Atlético Madrid crashing out of the Champions League in midweek. On Sunday, one unerring finish from the same player put Atlético — temporarily — right back in the LaLiga title race.

Álvarez’s unwanted role in Wednesday’s penalty shootout drama — slipping as he stepped up to take his spot kick, with the faintest of accidental touches with his standing foot seeing the penalty disallowed — was desperately unfortunate, an anomaly in an outstanding debut season at the Metropolitano. Here, it was business as usual.

After a steady start, Álvarez has become a fixture in coach Diego Simeone’s starting XI and already has 23 goals in all competitions. Atlético find themselves in this position — challenging for the title, in the Copa del Rey semifinals, and only just, cruelly eliminated in Europe — largely because of the impact the former Manchester City has made in the attack. Álvarez’s goal in the 45th minute was a slick, perfectly executed team move, Griezmann crossing for Giuliano Simeone, who made a tough, but correct call in pulling back for Álvarez, rather than shooting himself. Álvarez was never going to miss.

He was later withdrawn after an hour, his job done, replaced — as is often the case — by Sørloth for the last 30 minutes. Sørloth is a very different kind of forward, but equally valuable to Diego Simeone, as he showed finishing off another clinical Atlético counterattack to make it 2-0. — Kirkland

Flick subs earn win, show Atlético lessons learned

It was déjà vu as substitute Sørloth netted Atlético’s second. The Norway striker scored a late winner in the corresponding fixture at the Olympic Stadium in December and also netted in the Copa comeback last month.

However, Flick’s substitutes had the final say this time.

Not only did Torres net twice after coming on, but the German tactician also showed that he had learned from those Atlético late shows. Defenders Ronald Araújo and Gerard Martín came on to protect Barça against the home side’s counter-attack at 2-2.

The irony is that, this time, as Flick took on board previous failings against Diego Simeone’s side, setting up slightly more in favour of not losing than winning, his side did finally get the better of Atlético.

There is still a fourth, exhilarating chapter to come. Barça are back at the Metropolitano at the start of April for the Copa semifinal second leg. — Marsden

Atlético compete, but ultimately fall short again

This defeat doesn’t end Atlético Madrid’s season. They’re only four points behind Barcelona and Real Madrid with 10 games left and, judging by the season so far, there’s plenty of room for more twists and turns in the title race. They have a Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against Barça to come, with the tie level at 4-4.

But this loss, coming so soon after being knocked out of the Champions League by Real, could send Atlético into a tailspin from which it might prove difficult to recover. The disappointment at being beaten on penalties by Real Madrid was profound, exacerbated by the feeling of injustice at how it happened.

Having a crucial, title-race impacting game against Barça just four days later was far from ideal. It was hard to imagine how Atlético would pick themselves up, physically and emotionally, and be able to compete here for 90 minutes.

But compete they did. Barça dominated early on, but Atlético soon wrested control of the game away from the visitors, going ahead through Álvarez, and doubling their lead thanks to Sørloth. Even when Barcelona had levelled the game at 2-2, all didn’t look lost. Atlético didn’t collapse right away, continuing to look for a third goal, with Sørloth going close — flagged offside — and then Nahuel Molina getting in behind the defence on the right. A 2-2 final score would have been fine, giving Atlético hope, something to hang onto.

But it didn’t end there. Barça’s two goals in added time, with Atlético’s legs tiring, meant more late heartbreak at this stadium. It won’t hurt as much as the Champions League elimination to their bitter rivals — nothing would — but it adds to the feeling that Atlético’s season is now spiraling out of control in its most decisive phase. That Copa del Rey semifinal second leg on April 2 feels even more important now. — Kirkland

LaLiga’s latest twist

Barça are firmly in the box seat, but it’s still so tight. They are locked on 60 points with Real at the top of the LaLiga table, who have 10 games to play. Barça have 11 to go due to last weekend’s game against Osasuna being postponed.

Atlético are four points behind the Clásico rivals, but they have played Barça and Madrid twice now. That could give them hope as Barça host Madrid in May. Simeone’s side may also be the fresher of the three teams with no more Champions League games to wear them down.

Besides, the way the campaign has gone suggests there will be more twists and turns. All three sides have fumbled the lead at different stages of the season. Casting forward, the final matchday of the season could be crucial: Real Madrid host Real Sociedad, Atlético head to Girona, and Barcelona may be needing to get all three points away against Athletic Club at San Mamés. — Marsden