Alexander Sorloth's last-minute goal secured a stunning 2-1 win for Atletico Madrid over Barcelona in Saturday's top-flight match in LaLiga.
Sorloth scored deep into stoppage time as Atleti completed a comeback win to move them three points clear of the Blaugrana at the top of the Spanish top flight.
Rodrigo De Paul had earlier restored parity, scoring on the hour mark after a quick counter-attack from Diego Simeone's team.
It was a story of chances created but not taken for Barcelona, who took the lead after Pedri's effort in the thirty minutes.
Pedri's opener was nothing short of what Hansi Flick's side deserved, with Atleti unable to muster a shot against Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in the first half.
But when Raphinha's lob hit the crossbar and Atleti went forward at the other end to equalise, the tone was set for an evening that ultimately got away from Barcelona, who were also frustrated by the excellent Jab Oblak.
Barcelona are now winless in three league games and after leading all season, they could now be in third place heading into 2025.
3 – #Barcelona have lost each of their last three home games in @LaLigaEn. It's their worst streak in the league after two other three-game losing streaks in 1965 and 1987. Breakdown. pic.twitter.com/3UPBkB0WvI
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 21, 2024
Data Debrief: Barca's untimely mistake
Watching from the stands as he served his touchline ban, Flick must have wondered what else his team had to do to get the three points – that is, until they were punished in the final seconds at the break.
Barcelona created chances worth 2.5 expected goals, with 19 shots to Atleti's five, although the visitors hit the target with four of them in a clinical show of counter-attacking prowess.
But their defense is now a major cause for concern. While they can put some of their wasteful finishing down to bad luck, Barcelona have now conceded in each of their last eight LaLiga games, their worst run without a clean sheet in the competition since any of the 11 matches between September and November 2018.
They have lost four of their last seven LaLiga games (W1 D2), as many defeats as in their previous 34 games in the league (W27 D3 L4), and with Real Madrid just a point behind, the title race is shaping up in intriguing fashion. to develop. into the new year.
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