Late Lionel Messi winner against Atletico Madrid means Barcelona keep pace with Real Madrid
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ByEurosport
Updated 26/02/2017 at 21:40 GMT
La Liga, Vicente Calderon - Atletico Madrid 1 (Godin 70') Barcelona 2 (Rafinha 64', Messi 86')
\Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi kicks the ball during the Spanish league football match Club Atletico de Madrid vs FC Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid on February 26, 2017.
Image credit: AFP
Lionel Messi scored a dramatic late winner to allow Barcelona to keep pace with Real Madrid as the Catalans claimed a 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid on their last visit to the Calderón.
Diego Godin thought he had earned the hosts a point with a headed equaliser on 70 minutes which cancelled out Rafinha’s opener only minutes before.
However, it was Blaugrana who would have the final say as Messi bagged yet another goal against Diego Simeone’s charges. His 86th minute winner was the 22nd goal he has scored in 22 appearances against Atleti.
Luis Suarez saw his effort on the half-hour mark of a thoroughly entertaining and topsy-turvy first-half ruled out when referee Antonio Lahoz spotted a handball in the build-up.
Atleti goalkeeper Jan Oblak made his first appearance in over two months and the 24-year-old proved his worth with two extraordinary saves to deny Messi and Gerard Pique.
Oblak’s opposite number Ter Stegen proved equally as important at the other end as he produced a string of top drawer saves including a one-handed stop from Antoine Griezmann’s thunderbolt.
The opening goal came in fortuitous circumstances midway through the second-half when Rafinha reacted quickest after Suarez’s shot was blocked. Barca’s lead lasted only six minutes though as Godin scored his second goal of the season with a deft touch from Koke’s free-kick delivery.
Atletico hearts were broken in the final minutes however when Messi tapped in from Samuel Umtiti’s pass and there was no way back for Simeone’s men.
TALKING POINT
Lionel Messi’s last gasp winner: Losing means Atletico Madrid are all but out of the title race and in fact Diego Simeone’s side need to look over their shoulders in the battle for a top-four place as high-flying Real Sociedad are now only a point behind. Anything but a place in next season’s Champions League would prove devastating for last year's runners-up.
Meanwhile, two consecutive La Liga victories for Barca has gone someway to banish memories of that horrendous 4-0 defeat to PSG in Europe last week. Their dreams of a Champions League trophy may be in tatters but the Catalans are very much still in the race for domestic honours.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid): The Slovenian goalkeeper was back to his best having missed over two months of football.
PLAYER RATINGS
Atletico Madrid: Oblak 8, Vrsaljko 6, Savic 7, Godin 7, Felipe Luis 7, Carrasco 7, Niguez 6, Gabi 6, Koke 7, Gameiro 6, Griezmann 6. Subs: Torres 5, Correa 5.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen 7, Piqué 7, Sergio 6, Rafinha 6, S. Roberto 5, Umtiti 7, Mathieu 6, Iniesta 6, Suárez 7, Messi 7, Neymar 6. Subs: Rakitic 6, Digne 5, Gomes N/A.
KEY MOMENTS
4’ - CHANCE! The Barcelona defence are caught napping and Atlei should be ahead! A cross is delivered into the Barca penalty area, Roberto tries to play the offside trap and leaves Carrasco unmarked, the linesman flag doesn't go up, but he can't direct the ball on target.
15’ - SAVE! Umtiti fails to properly clear a cross into the Barca box, heading as far as Griezmann who strikes a low shot on the turn which Ter Stegen is equal to. Good chance for the hosts there.
25’ - SAVE! The space opens up for Griezmann from 25 yards and he lets fly with his right foot, forcing Ter Stegen into a spectacular one-handed save. There was a lot of movement in the ball and the goalkeeper did well to make the stop.
30’ - GOAL DISALLOWED! Oblak parries a shot straight into the path of Suarez who pokes the ball goalwards, Luis makes a desperate clearance but it smashes off the post and Suarez eventually bundles it over the line. However, the referee noticed a hand-ball in the melee and rules out the goal. How are Barca not ahead?
38’ - WONDERFUL SAVE! Messi curls the ball towards the top right hand corner but Oblak, on his first appearance in two months, does brilliantly to make a one-handed stop. That's exactly why the goalkeeper is so important to Atleti.
42’ - SAVE ON THE LINE! Pique rises highest to get his head to a corner but Oblak produces yet another top drawer save to keep the scores level.
48’ - HORRENDOUS MISS! A lovely reverse pass from Messi plays Suarez through behind the Atleti defence but the Uruguayan scuffs his shot with the outside of his boot and it goes well wide. Best chance of the game thus far.
64’ - GOAL - Rafinha gives Barcelona the lead in fortuitous circumstances! Suarez’s shot is blocked inside the area, Rafinha reacts quickest to the rebound and pokes the ball beyond Oblak to give his side a crucial lead.
70’ - GOAL - Atletico are level! Godin gets the slighest touch on Koke's free-kick delivery and it's enough to direct the ball beyond Ter Stegen and into the back of the net.
86’ - GOAL – Who else but Lionel Messi? The 29-year-old gives Barcelona a potentially season-defining lead! Atletico fail to clear from a free-kick, Umtiti is then allowed to turn in the area and finds Messi whose first shot is blocked but he taps in from the rebound.
KEY STATS
- Lionel Messi has scored 13 goals at Vicente Calderon, more than in any other away ground (Santiago Bernabéu 12 - all competitions).
- Lionel Messi has scored 22 goals against Atletico in La Liga, his favourite opponent in the competition.
- Diego Godín has scored two goals against Barcelona in La Liga, both with his head.
- Rafinha has scored six goals with only eight shots on target in La Liga this season.
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