Alexander Sorloth delivered a late blow in stoppage time, securing Atletico Madrid a 2-1 victory over Barcelona on Saturday, propelling them to the top of LaLiga with their twelfth consecutive triumph across all competitions.
Pedri initially gave Barcelona the lead in the first half, but Rodrigo De Paul equalised after the interval. Sorloth then ensured a third successive home league loss for Barcelona, displacing them from the LaLiga pinnacle. This marked Atletico’s first away triumph against Barcelona in 18 years, bringing their total to 41 points with a game yet to play, three points ahead of the Catalans who have not won in their last three league matches. “It’s extremely difficult. We had opportunities to secure the win. If you don’t finish the game off, this is what happens,” Pedri remarked to Movistar. “Our home ground should be a fortress. We need significant improvements. We must reset both mentally and physically.”

In the early stages, Barca dominated the match, with Pedri finding the back of the net at the 30-minute mark after a swift move into the penalty area. He executed a one-two with Gavi and slipped a low shot past Jan Oblak. Despite their superiority, the home team couldn’t widen their lead post-interval. Raphinha’s attempt was thwarted by the crossbar, while Oblak used his feet to block Fermin Lopez’s close-range effort. Robert Lewandowski also missed a scoring opportunity when Oblak saved his lacklustre shot from within the six-yard area. The equaliser came in the 60th minute when De Paul seized on a poor clearance by Marc Casado near the box, driving his shot into the bottom corner, marking Atletico’s second shot on target in the match.
De Paul reflected, “When you endure more, the enjoyment is greater. We faced a formidable opponent. It had been years since Atletico had triumphed here, and we were also contending for the top position.”
Being at the forefront is exhilarating. It brings immense satisfaction. When your efforts are rewarded, it leaves you feeling utterly fulfilled. Wearing this jersey is an honour, and success brings me tremendous joy.

Oblak made several crucial saves to thwart both Raphinha and Pedri before Sorloth, coming off the bench, scored with a first-time shot six minutes into stoppage time from a deep cross by Nahuel Molina.
“I hadn’t won in Barcelona since I arrived, finally. It was difficult, but we secured three points. Let’s keep this momentum,” said Oblak.
“We began poorly, with an inexplicable fear, despite being in excellent form. After going 1-0 up, we managed to hold on without conceding a second goal.
“The league is very extensive. Today isn’t decisive; it’s just three points and there are many more to play for. A month and a half ago, we were quite distant, and now we find ourselves here.”