Atlético de madrid vs. barcelona

Barcelona will finish the weekend inside the La Liga Top 4 for the first time since September thanks to an epic 4-2 win over Atlético Madrid in the first game at Camp Nou in 2022. Barça played sublime football for 60 minutes and scored four goals, but had to survive the last half-hour with 10 men after Dani Alves was sent off in questionable fashion and found a way to hang on to a two-goal lead and take all three points against the defending champions on a memorable afternoon in Catalonia.

FIRST HALF

The Camp Nou was bouncing, as intense and excited for a Barcelona game as we’ve seen in a really long time. And the team clearly fed off the energy off the crowd and played a truly sensational first half, with exceptional attacking football and fantastic intensity off the ball.

They did go behind to start the game, with Yannick Carrasco finishing off a beautiful team move by Atlético with a strong shot into the bottom corner. But Barça equalized immediately thanks to a Goal of the Seaso contender by Jordi Alba, and from then on the Blaugrana were far and away the best team on the pitch.

Adama Traoré made an immediate impact on his debut, absolutely destroying left-back Mario Hermoso at every chance he got, and in one of those instances he played a gorgeous cross into the box and Gavi headed home the second to put Barça ahead. The home team never stopped attacking and kept suffocating the Colchoneros until they found a third goal, with Ronald Araujo scoring on the rebound after a Jan Oblak save to double Barça’s lead and further prove their superiority.

At halftime, the best 45 minutes of Barça’s season had them in great position to claim all three points but they needed to keep up the good work and finish the job in the second half.

SECOND HALF

Barça made a dream start to the second half with a fourth goal: Gavi and Frenkie De Jong made a nice one-two on the left wing, and Gavi’s low cross eventually found Dani Alves all alone on the edge of the box and the Brazilian fired a rocket into the bottom corner to score on his return to Camp Nou.

But Atlético didn’t give up: Diego Simeone made four substitutions in the first 10 minutes of the period and told his team to go for it, and Luis Suárez scored against his former club to give the visitors some hope with 30 minutes to go. The Colchoneros sensed some vulnerability in the Barça defense and really amped up the pressure, and the two-goal lead suddenly didn’t feel safe for the home team.

After a period of pressure from Atlético, Barça seemed to have weathered the storm but a hugely controversial refereeing decision changed the game: after the linesman was late to raise his flag when Luis Suárez was clearly offside, Dani Alves was given a straight red card by VAR for a stomp on Carrasco’s leg on a play that should never have counted.

Barça had to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men and the team was clearly nervous, and Atlético sent everyone forward sensing a real chance to come back in the game. The final minutes were absolutely wild, with Barça trying to hang on to their lead despite some really inconsistent refereeing and Atlético not giving up and playing on pure desperation.

All things considered, Barça remained quite calm and composed as they tried to keep possession as much as they could looking to run out the clock. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made his debut and was instrumental in keeping the ball in the final minutes, always running after long passes and winning crucial free-kicks in the dying seconds.

The final whistle came after almost seven minutes of added time, and Barça’s biggest win of the season came against all odds despite other people’s best efforts to stop it. A wild, beautiful afternoon at Camp Nou and a giant confidence booster to start a big February. As Dani Alves would say, Good Crazy!


Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Alves, Araujo, Piqué, Alba; Pedri (Nico 66’), Busquets, De Jong; Adama (Aubameyang 61’), Ferran, Gavi (Dest 71’)

Goals: Alba (10’), Gavi (21’), Araujo (43’), Alves (49’)

Red Card: Alves (70’)

Atlético: Oblak; Vrsaljko (Wass 46’), Savic, Giménez, Hermoso (Cunha 55’); Carrasco, De Paul, Koke (Herrera 76’), Lemar (Reinildo 55’), Félix (Correa 55’); Suárez

Goals: Carrasco (8’), Suárez (58’)

Atlético de madrid vs. barcelona

Getty Images

Barcelona advanced to the Copa del Rey semi-finals following a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening in the second leg of their quarter-final at the Estadio Vicente Calderon.

Atletico twice took the lead: initially through Fernando Torres in the first minute and a second time via Raul Garcia on the half-hour mark. But twice Barcelona hit back, pulling level in the ninth minute after Neymar finished off a blistering attack and again in the 38th minute thanks to an own goal by Miranda.

Neymar netted a second time in the 41st minute to give Barcelona their first lead, an advantage they would not surrender on the way to a 4-2 aggregate victory. Atletico finished the match with nine men after Gabi and Mario Suarez were sent off.

Atlético de madrid vs. barcelona

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Barcelona will now play in the semi-finals against either Villarreal or Getafe. With Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both eliminated, Luis Enrique's side will be considered heavy favourites to lift the trophy at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Barcelona also remain alive in the hunt for silverware in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. If the Blaugrana can overtake leaders Real Madrid atop the Spanish table and successfully navigate the Champions League knockout stages, an impressive treble of trophies will be theirs.

That is a long way off, of course, and first Barca will turn their attention to league play and a home match against Villarreal on Sunday. Atletico Madrid play at Eibar on Saturday.

After last week's first leg ended in a 1-0 victory for Barcelona, many onlookers might have expected another tight match in the return leg. But less than a minute after kick-off, Atletico already had the lead.

Atlético de madrid vs. barcelona

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

Much like in the previous round against Real Madrid, Torres was the quick-fire scorer. A wayward pass from Barcelona's Javier Mascherano allowed Guilherme Siqueira to win possession for the hosts near the midfield stripe. The ball bounced free to Torres near the edge of the box, and Torres took a touch to sidestep Mascherano before firing in his shot at the far post.

The game was barely 40 seconds old, but Atletico were level on aggregate. It didn't last long, however, as Barcelona equalised eight minutes later.

The goal came via a counter, with Lionel Messi starting the move with a fine pass to Luis Suarez near the midfield stripe. Suarez spotted Neymar streaking down the middle of the pitch and picked out the Brazilian with a perfect pass to cut open Atletico's defence. After reaching the box, Neymar took the ball wide to the right before finishing at the far post for the equaliser.

With that, Barcelona led 2-1 on aggregate and also held a vital advantage with an away goal. But Atletico were far from finished, and in the 28th minute, the hosts won a penalty. The decision was controversial, with replays showing that Atletico's Juanfran had run into Mascherano outside the Barcelona box.

Nevertheless, the referee awarded a penalty, which Garcia converted in the 30th minute for a 2-1 Atletico advantage.

Karl Matchett @karlmatchett

awful officiating yet again. outside box and if anything a kick by juanfran on mascherano. ludicrous.

Dermot Corrigan @dermotmcorrigan

Not a foul by Mascherano, and not inside the area. Juanfran had a lot of work to do to get a penalty out of that...

Once again, though, the lead did not last long. Barcelona pulled level a second time in the 38th minute via a set-piece situation. Ivan Rakitic swung in a corner from the right, picking out Sergio Busquets, who nodded down a header toward the far post. Atletico defender Miranda was on hand to deal with the danger, but his attempted clearance flew straight into his own net, making the score 2-2.

Barcelona's aggregate lead was restored, and in the 41st minute, the visitors went even further ahead—though not without controversy.

Atlético de madrid vs. barcelona

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

The scoring sequence started with Barcelona's Jordi Alba blocking an Antoine Griezmann shot inside the box. Atletico appealed for a handball, but the referee allowed play to continue. Barcelona attacked quickly as Messi led a swift move down the pitch. Nearing the opposite box, the Argentine curled a pass to the left-hand flank for Alba, who knocked the ball back into the path of Neymar.

After rounding Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak with a deft first touch, Neymar tapped into the unguarded net for Barcelona's first lead of the night.

Leading 3-2 on the night, Barca held a two-goal aggregate advantage at half-time of the second leg. Atletico had to play the entire second half with a numerical disadvantage after Gabi was sent off as the teams departed the field at half-time. And as the second half began, the hosts were unable to match their electric start to the game.

Atletico had a chance to equalise in the 71st minute, but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen saved Cani's shot with his right hand. At the other end one minute later, Messi's tame effort rolled straight to Oblak, who saved.

Oblak made two more saves within moments of each other in the 81st minute, first stopping Andres Iniesta and then Pedro as Barcelona tried to extend their lead.

With Barca cruising, Atletico's plight became even worse in the 84th minute when Mario Suarez drew a red card for his second bookable offence. That meant Atletico had to play the final moments with nine men, effectively ending the match as a contest.

Grades

Atletico Madrid Player Ratings
Starting XI Rating
Jan Oblak 5.9
Juanfran 6.3
Miranda 4.6
Jose Gimenez 6.7
Guilherme Siqueira 6.9
Raul Garcia 7.1
Gabi 5.2
Mario Suarez 5.7
Arda Turan 6.6
Fernando Torres 8.1
Antoine Griezmann 6.5
Substitutes Rating
Saul Niguez (for Griezmann, 46') 6.7
Jesus Gamez (for Juanfran, 58') 6.1
Cani (for Arda Turan, 63') 6.0
Ratings via WhoScored.com

Barcelona Player Ratings
Starting XI Rating
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen 6.3
Dani Alves 6.7
Gerard Pique 6.4
Javier Mascherano 4.8
Jordi Alba 7.8
Ivan Rakitic 6.5
Sergio Busquets 7.5
Andres Iniesta 6.9
Lionel Messi 8.0
Luis Suarez 7.0
Neymar 8.4
Substitutes Rating
Jeremy Mathieu (for Mascherano, 62') 6.0
Rafinha (for Rakitic, 70') 6.4
Pedro (for Neymar, 77') 6.3
Ratings via WhoScored.com

Reaction

Atletico Madrid midfielder Gabi on his sending off, via Football Espana:

Well my words were 'Jesus, it was a penalty and a red card; you'll see on TV that you're wrong. Then he yelled at me and said 'you're sent off'. I didn't say anything else to him. 

The team were outnumbered and it was noticeable in the second half. We all make mistakes, but we must acknowledge our errors, we certainly have to. (Referees) must take more responsibility and have more dialogue with the players.

How many times has Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid?

Barcelona have the historical advantage in victories (93 to 69) and goals (410 to 319), but Atletico have always made for good opponents and there have been some thrilling encounters between the sides over the years.

Who wins Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid?

Barcelona 4-2 Atletico Madrid. Barcelona have overtaken Atletico Madrid in the league table with a 4-2 victory.

Has Atletico Madrid beaten Barcelona?

Atlético hasn't beaten Barcelona at the Camp Nou since 2006. Simone's team paid the price for a dreadful performance by its defense. It was coming off a league win over Valencia but had lost its previous three matches in all competitions.

Is Atletico Madrid better than Real Madrid?

While Real Madrid have won a record 35 La Liga titles, 19 Copa del Rey and a record 13 European Cup/UEFA Champions League crowns, Atletico Madrid have 11 La Liga titles, 10 Copa del Rey trophies and three Europa League titles to their name.