Barcelona were left reeling after a dramatic 2-1 defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid at home. Despite taking the lead through Pedri in the 30th minute, the Catalan giants could not hold off Atletico’s late surge.
Barcelona dominated proceedings from the start, applying constant pressure until they finally broke through with a well-worked goal that saw Pedri slot home to give them the lead heading into halftime.
The second half saw a more resilient Atletico Madrid emerge. While Barcelona continued to control possession, Diego Simeone’s men grew into the game and began probing for an equalizer. Their persistence paid off in the 60th minute when Rodrigo De Paul capitalized on a defensive lapse to level the score at 1-1.
The match seemed destined to end in a stalemate until the dying moments. In a dramatic twist, Raphinha’s giveaway led to Nahuel Molina’s surging run down the right flank. His low cross found Alexander Sorloth, who clinically fired past Inaki Pena to snatch victory for Atletico. Sorloth’s strike marked his eighth goal of the La Liga season, solidifying his place as Atletico’s top scorer.
Remarkably, Sorloth has only started five league matches but continues to make a significant impact off the bench. His match-winning contribution came after entering the fray with just 20 minutes remaining.
This victory marks Atletico Madrid’s 12th consecutive win, propelling them to the top of the La Liga standings as they head into Christmas leading the league table at the close of 2024.
For Barcelona, the defeat leaves them stunned and searching for answers .
