Robert Lewandowski impressed a resurgent Barcelona to a 3-0 triumph at Atletico Madrid on Sunday to maintain their faint La Liga title hopes alive. Lewandowski arrange objectives for Joao Felix and Fermin Lopez both facet of putting himself to tug Barcelona second, eight factors behind leaders Actual Madrid. The Catalans, who returned to the Champions League quarter-finals this week after 4 years, turned the primary staff to beat Atletico on the Metropolitano stadium this season.
Barcelona have been the final staff to win at Atletico within the prime flight too, in January 2023, with Diego Simeone’s staff going 25 matches with out defeat in between.
They crumbled towards Xavi Hernandez’s facet, who now have 5 consecutive wins over Atletico and are unbeaten in 10 matches for the reason that coach mentioned he would depart on the finish of the season.
Barcelona moved two factors away from third-placed Girona, whereas Atletico at the moment are fifth, after Athletic Bilbao moved above them on Saturday.
“I will push the (gamers) greater than ever,” Xavi instructed DAZN, refusing to throw within the towel on Barcelona’s title defence.
“And now that I am leaving, much more so — we’ll attempt to enhance and compete for La Liga and the Champions League, the 2 most vital trophies.”
Atletico performed 120 minutes on Wednesday towards Inter Milan in Europe and though Barcelona noticed off Napoli a day earlier than, it was Simeone’s facet who began sharper.
Pablo Barrios spurned a very good early probability and 17-year-old starlet Pau Cubarsi blocked Alvaro Morata’s effort.
Nevertheless Barcelona took the lead towards the run of play after 38 minutes.
Ilkay Gundogan glided ahead from midfield and located Lewandowski, who squared for on-loan ahead Felix to show residence towards his mother or father membership.
The Portuguese striker scored the one objective when the groups met in December and once more proved a thorn in Atletico’s facet whereas being whistled by residence followers all through.
‘They have been superior’
Xavi was dismissed earlier than the break for dissent however his staff kicked on regardless within the second half.
Simeone despatched on Antoine Griezmann and Memphis Depay, trying to find extra spark within the last third.
Lewandowski shortly doubled Barcelona’s lead with a deadly end, after Rodrigo de Paul gave the ball away in a harmful space.
Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made an excellent save to disclaim Marcos Llorente however Atletico have been beginning to tire after their midweek exploits.
Lopez headed residence Barca’s third after Lewandowski set him up with an inch-perfect cross, with the veteran Polish striker providing one among his greatest performances for the membership.
The objective capped an excellent week for Lopez, who additionally scored within the win over Napoli.
“We’re believing till the tip, (now we’re in) second place, making an attempt to chop the factors hole and combat for La Liga,” Lopez instructed DAZN.
Atletico’s Nahuel Molina was despatched off for bringing down Vitor Roque late on as Barcelona noticed out their spectacular win, holding a fourth consecutive clear sheet within the league.
“They have been superior, they put away their first probabilities for objectives,” Simeone instructed DAZN.
“We’ll preserve pushing for fourth place, will probably be tough, difficult, that is regular … we’ve got to maintain bettering, so much.”
‘Liberation’
Earlier Almeria ended a depressing streak by incomes their first La Liga win of the season, edging Las Palmas 1-0.
The Andalusian facet went 31 league video games with out victory stretching again to Might final season, however Leo Baptistao’s 14th-minute objective snapped their horrible run in coach Pepe Mel’s first match in cost.
Regardless of successful on the street, Mel’s facet are nonetheless twentieth and 14 factors from security with 9 matches remaining.
Almeria’s 31-match run is the longest winless streak within the division’s historical past, however they’re now stage with Sporting Gijon’s lowest ever factors tally from 1997-98.
“Successful right now means a liberation (for the staff) … successful three factors and altering the dynamic,” mentioned Mel.
Victory ensured Almeria is not going to tally fewer factors than Derby County’s 11 within the Premier League in 2007-08, which is the bottom complete throughout Europe’s prime leagues since groups began incomes three factors for a win.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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