FC Barcelona moved three points clear at the top of the LaLiga standings after a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday evening.
LaLiga
Result: Atletico Madrid v Barcelona
Date: 08 January 2023
Venue: Metropolitano Stadium
The home side had a wake-up call and competed better after going behind with a sustained spell of possession in Barcelona's half and Jose Gimenez came close to levelling matters just after the half-hour mark with a towering header that missed narrowly wide.
Atletico maintained their pressure and Griezmann had a chance to equalise shorty before the half-time interval after he was teed up by Felix in the box and fired an improvised shot that was tipped over the crossbar by goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Los Rojiblancos were full energy from the break and threatened to find the equaliser but Barca were equally dangerous on counter-attacks.
Dembele should have doubled the lead for Xavi's men just after the hour-mark after racing clear on goal from a counter-attack but his low strike at the near post was crucially blocked by Stefan Savic, who made a great recovery.
As the game opened up, the sides made their attacking intentions clear, as five minutes later Atletico eventually brought on Morata in place of Yannick Carrasco in a tactical tweak while on 73 minutes Xavi also reinforced his attack with the introduction of Raphinha in place of Gavi.
Simeone's troops had the momentum in the dying minutes, with the match on the edge and Thomas Lemar almost snatched the equaliser in the last two minutes with a flashing strike that missed the bottom corner agonizingly wide.
Tempers were flaring in the tail end as both sides were reduced to ten men after Savic and Ferran Torres were both red-carded for wrestling on the ground.
As Atletico kept on coming, Griezmann should have fired home the equaliser in stoppage time after he received a square pass unmarked in front of goal but side-footed a shot that was cleared off the line by Ronald Araujo.
Barcelona held on in the end to pull three points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who lost to Villarreal on Saturday evening.
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