In a shocking turn of events, Barcelona squandered a prime opportunity to solidify their spot atop the La Liga table. Instead, a 96th-minute winner from Alexander Sørloth saw Atlético Madrid complete a stunning comeback and leapfrog the Blaugrana into first place. The 2-1 defeat at the Olympic Stadium marks Barcelona’s third consecutive home loss in the league, setting off alarm bells ahead of the winter break.
Manager Hansi Flick couldn’t hide his disappointment in the post-match press conference. “Now it’s a break and I think everyone needs this break,” he lamented. “After the break we will train and we will show how strong we are.” The German tactician was quick to praise his team’s performance despite the heartbreaking result, but acknowledged that they need to be “more intelligent” moving forward.
From Cruise Control to Crisis Mode
It was a far cry from Barcelona’s blistering start to the season. Just a month ago, they held a commanding 10-point lead over Atlético. But a string of poor results – including dropped points against Real Sociedad, Celta Vigo, Real Betis, Las Palmas, and Leganés – has seen that advantage evaporate. Atlético, meanwhile, have been in scorching form, racking up 12 straight wins across all competitions.
Pedri’s Brilliance Not Enough
If there was one bright spot for Barcelona, it was the dazzling display from midfield maestro Pedri. The 22-year-old opened the scoring and continuously carved open the Atlético defense, creating a host of chances that his teammates failed to convert. Flick was effusive in his praise for the Spanish international:
It’s really good to see that he’s now on this level. How he played was fantastic, the goal was unbelievably good. When you see him now on the pitch, he’s also coaching the other players around him.
– Hansi Flick on Pedri’s performance
But even Pedri’s individual brilliance couldn’t mask Barcelona’s wastefulness in front of goal. Time and again they were denied by Atlético keeper Jan Oblak, who put on a goalkeeping clinic. When Rodrigo De Paul equalized midway through the second half, the momentum swung firmly in the visitors’ favor.
Staring Up At The Summit
The win propels Atlético three points clear of Barcelona, with the added luxury of a game in hand. Real Madrid also have the chance to overtake the Catalan giants with a win over Sevilla on Sunday. It’s a stunning reversal for a Barcelona side that looked to be cruising towards another title just a few short weeks ago.
Flick, for his part, remained stoic in the face of adversity. “I know that we played fantastic in the first three months of the season, but at the end we lost a lot of points,” he reflected. “Still, it’s a good position to let you know where you want to go. I’m not worried about that.”
The winter break can’t come soon enough for a Barcelona squad that looks physically and mentally drained. They’ll have to use the time off to recharge their batteries and refocus if they hope to reel in the Madrid clubs. With 22 grueling rounds still to play, La Liga’s title race has been blown wide open.
