In a thrilling encounter at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Barcelona pulled off a stunning comeback, overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat Atletico Madrid 4-2 in the 28th round of La Liga. The victory saw Barcelona reclaim the top spot in the league standings, just 24 hours after ceding it to their arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Atletico Madrid initially took control of the match, with Argentine forward Julian Alvarez opening the scoring in the 45th minute, followed by Norwegian substitute Alexander Sorloth doubling the lead in the 70th minute. However, Barcelona’s resilience shone through as Polish striker Robert Lewandowski reduced the deficit in the 72nd minute, and substitute Ferran Torres leveled the score with a brilliant header in the 78th minute.
Just as the game seemed destined for a draw, 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal struck a decisive goal in stoppage time (90+2), giving Barcelona the lead for the first time in the match. Torres then sealed the victory with his second goal of the night in the 98th minute, capping off a remarkable turnaround.
With this win, Barcelona now sits atop La Liga with 60 points, edging out Real Madrid on goal difference. The Catalan giants extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches across all competitions (15 wins and 3 draws), with their last defeat in La Liga coming against Atletico Madrid on December 21, 2023.
Atletico Madrid, managed by Diego Simeone, remains in third place with 56 points. The team, which was eliminated from the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals by Real Madrid, now focuses solely on domestic competitions, aiming to reclaim the La Liga title for the first time since the 2020-2021 season.
Barcelona, meanwhile, continues to compete on multiple fronts, having advanced to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, where they will face Borussia Dortmund. The team’s remarkable form under German coach Hansi Flick has solidified their status as serious contenders for both domestic and European honors.
Barcelona’s ability to fight back from adversity underscores their determination to reclaim their dominance in Spanish football.
As the La Liga title race heats up, Barcelona’s next challenge will be to maintain their momentum, while Atletico Madrid looks to regroup and keep their title hopes alive. The two teams are set to meet again in the Copa del Rey semifinal second leg on April 2, promising another thrilling encounter.
