Simeone did not put De Paul for a minute and Atlético fell with Barcelona, ​​​​which are more leaders than ever

Barcelona moved away from the all-time leaders of the Spanish league thanks to a 1-0 defeat at Atlético de Madrid on matchday 16, thus capitalizing on a defeat the day before by Real Madrid, their main title rivals.

Barça and Real Madrid had even started the weekend on 38 points, with the Catalans in first place for the best goal difference. This matchday’s results mean the Catalans now escape with another three points in the table.

Without the Polish Robert Lewandowski (suspended), the French Ousmane Dembelé was the author of the only goal in the 22nd minute, with a cross shot following an assist from Gavi. The goal was confirmed after the play was reviewed by the VAR and despite protests from the locals.

Atlético tried unsuccessfully to level the score. Before the break, Uruguayan José Giménez’s header went slightly wide in the 33rd minute and Marc-André Ter Stegen saved his side from Antoine Griezmann’s strike in the 42nd minute.

In the second half, Dembelé had opportunities to extend his account, hitting the post in the 62nd minute and crossing too far in the 69th minute. Barça had a Ferran Torres goal disallowed in the 73rd minute.

In the final quarter of an hour, Atlético accelerated in pursuit of an equaliser, but the chances of Griezmann (77) and his French compatriot Thomas Lemar (88) were unsuccessful.

At 90+4, Madrid were very close to equalizing, but the Uruguayan defender Ronald Araújo saved the Catalans, almost rejecting a new attempt by Griezmann from the line.

Shortly before, again in the final discount, two players had been sent off, one from each team (Stefan Savic of Atlético and Ferran Torres of Barça), after a confrontation.

Despite the team’s bad moment, Diego Simeone did not use Rodrigo De Paul. Among the world champions with Argentina, full-back Nahuel Molina was just starting, who played a good match. Angelito Correa, on the other hand, replaced Joao Félix in the 72nd minute.

Barcelona had stumbled the previous day, equalizing the home derby against Espanyol, and Wednesday had even needed extra time to eliminate the modest Intercity, the third category of Spanish football, in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey.

“It’s not just three points, they give us enormous morale and confidence,” Barça coach Xavi Hernández told DAZN, already thinking about the upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia to play in the Spanish Super Cup. “there are three golden points. They pressed, we knew how to suffer and that they did not mark us, “she celebrated her.

Atlético de Madrid, for their part, have relapsed and lost three of their last five league games.

“We played a complete match that didn’t go hand in hand with the three points,” summarized Atlético’s Argentine coach Diego Simeone.

This Sunday’s defeat sees Atlético exit the Champions League zone, drop to fifth place and find themselves one point behind fourth, Betis, whom they beat 2-1 a few hours earlier at Rayo Vallecano (8th).

the other parts

Betis’ winning goal against Rayo Vallecano was scored in the 40th minute by the Brazilian Luiz Henrique, with a shot from outside the box. It was 2-1 in Vallecas.

In the first match on Sunday, Real Sociedad (3rd) emerged victorious from the Almería field (14th), with a 2-0 scored by David Silva (47th) and the Norwegian Alexander Sorloth (52nd).

Real Sociedad not only strengthens its third position, but also comes six points behind second-placed Real Madrid, who lost 2-1 at the Villarreal stadium on Saturday (6th).

At the bottom of the standings, Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla (17th) took a breather by beating Getafe (13th) 2-1 and exited relegation, despite having the same points as the first team in the red zone, Cadiz (18th ).

Argentine world champion Marcos Acuña (36) and Rafa Mir (80) scored the goals for Sevilla, while Borja Mayoral (87) scored the only goal for the Madrid side.

Sevilla hadn’t won a single home game in this 2022-2023 league season and hadn’t won a league duel since mid-October, when they narrowly won in Mallorca.