Ferran Torres‘s collision helped Barcelona emerge from a contemporary stoop to earn a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday in L. a. Liga, taking a fat step against clinching their first name since 2019.
Later two consecutive goalless attracts, second-place Actual Madrid shorten into Barcelona’s govern through beating Celta Vigo on Saturday, however Torres’s low first-half end restored their benefit to 11 issues with 8 video games too much.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico, 3rd, arrived as Spain’s maximum in-form facet however Torres stroked house from the threshold of the field within the forty fourth modest to book victory for Xavi Hernandez’s facet.
Each side had sunlit possibilities to attain in the second one 1/2 however Barcelona held directly to their govern to inflict Atletico’s first defeat since those facets met in January on the Metropolitano.
The hosts recorded a twenty third blank sheet of the season in L. a. Liga, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen creating a tremendous save to disclaim Antoine Griezmann an equaliser.
“I’ve always said Marc is among the top three goalkeepers in the world, and for our game, I think he’s the best,” Xavi advised newshounds.
“He’s a guarantee, our defence too — defensive work is fundamental and Marc has been decisive at various moments.”
Xavi introduced Frenkie de Jong again into the creation line-up nearest shock, however Pedri needed to form do with a seat at the bench nearest his two-month absence.
Griezmann virtually struck instantly towards his former facet, damn the crossbar with a tremendous attempt from distance throughout the first modest nearest Sergio Busquets misplaced the ball in entrance of his field.
The French ahead, in chic kind, was once denied through an notable Ter Stegen save nearest just right paintings through Yannick Carrasco as Atletico shaded the primary 1/2.
Alternatively Barcelona beggarly the impasse simply ahead of the interlude, with Raphinha controlling a protracted ball and crossing to Torres at the fringe of the field.
With L. a. Liga manage scorer Robert Lewandowski aviation while him at the outdoor calling for the ball, Torres took the courageous choice to progress it lonely, and it proved productive as he stroked the ball while Jan Oblak and into the base nook.
It was once Barcelona’s first objective since Torres’ collision towards Elche on April 1, finishing a painful run of 3 video games with out discovering the web.
“We had to win however it was, it was important to take a big step forward in the hunt for La Liga,” Torres advised Movistar.
“The team worked very hard, the fans were with us from the first moment and the result fell our way.”
– Finish-to-end –
Barcelona introduced on Pedri to roars from the 80,000-strong Camp Nou family in the second one 1/2 and Gavi smashed an attempt around the face of objective.
Global Cup winner Rodrigo de Paul would possibly have equalised on the alternative finish, however fired huge as the sport began to fragment.
Gavi and Raphinha each mishit efforts from point-blank area within the area of a couple of seconds that are meant to have put the sport out of achieve, ahead of Ter Stegen palmed away Griezmann’s crafty flick.
“It’s a fact that being decisive makes you champions — if you’re strong in both boxes, you have a much bigger chance of being champions,” mentioned Simeone.
Barcelona had some other blonde alternative to attain the second one however Lewandowski selfishly shot huge from distance as he and Raphinha ran via on objective.
A easy go would have left the Brazilian with an visible objective, however determined to make stronger his beggarly goalscoring kind in 2023 — he simplest has 4 league objectives for the reason that flip of the era — Lewandowski went lonely and scuffed his attempt huge.
“Ferran is the happiest man in the world, Raphinha and Lewandowski are a bit sad,” Xavi added.
“Happy because the team has won, but sad because they have not scored. Lewandowski is the top scorer with 17 goals — imagine how all the others feel.”
The Polish striker was once now not punished for his profligacy as Barcelona survived a overdue handball attraction towards Busquets to triumph.
“La Liga has been difficult for a while and it still is, we couldn’t make it a bit more exciting,” mentioned Oblak.
“If Barcelona continue like this, with the advantage they have, they’ll win this league.”
(This tale has now not been edited through NDTV body of workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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