A bite from Dembélé reinforces Barça

Xavi's men take down Atlético (0-1) in an open duel, with Araujo drawing the tie under the sticks at 94'

MADRID, 8 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

FC Barcelona beat Atlético de Madrid (0-1) this Sunday on matchday 16 of LaLiga Santander held at the Cívitas Metropolitano, thanks to Ousmane Dembélé's goal after 20 minutes, the best of a more leading culé team, despite that the rojiblancos reacted without the award of the goal.

The Frenchman finished off a ball opened up front by Gavi with the first goal, with the locals claiming a foul on Reinildo, after a beautiful drive by Pedri. Dembelé fired without regard because Atlético defended himself tooth and nail. Savic, Giménez and Molina went to the ground saviors at that start.

Atlético found themselves outclassed and Barça scored, but after half an hour the game was different. Diego Pablo Simeone's men launched more attacks than ever, Ter Stegen left his stops, and in the restart, Barça was not able to dominate or sentence. Without being a knock on the table, Xavi's team emerged as the leader (41) of the capital after Real Madrid's defeat (38) against Villarreal.

With the rain that accompanied it, the ball ran like a charm and Ansu Fati, a novelty above, had the first one that Savic covered. Barrios, the rojiblanca pearl, had the answer, but Barça locked up the locals with holes above them to create danger. Giménez covered another for the Spanish international while 'Mosquito' Dembélé took notes so as not to think about his own when Gavi's gift arrived (0-1).

Molina saved the next culé from Pedri, after a mistake by Giménez, and Barça extended a placid release of the ball for a few minutes. However, after a clear chance from the Uruguayan, Atlético took a step forward, returned the pressure up and went on to command, creating danger, with Griezmann making Ter Stegen fly.

Xavi's team lost control and did not recover it, prepared to suffer and entrusted to Araujo and Christensen. Those of 'Cholo' maintained their offensive intention in the restart, with shots from Joao Félix and Griezmann that went up, while Barça tried to gain calm possession. With the changes, the party lost clarity at the top.

Neither Lemar nor Morata appeared, in the same way that Kessié and Ferran did not give anything new to the game either. Barça, without the suspended Lewandowski, looked for a solution in the long game and almost got it with Dembélé and a shot at the post. Necessity and the Metropolitan led Atlético to give the last rush with more heart than football, although Griezmann's last was very clear.

The French midfielder was unable to endorse his great moment, not even in a last foul on the edge of the area, in a singing goal that Araujo took from under the sticks in discount. A tense finish, with Savic and Ferran sent off for getting into a fight, which reinforces a Barça leader who had returned with doubts about the break and who frustrates an Atlético who wanted to turn the page but is seen 14 points behind and out, a period, from the 'Champions' area.

--RESULT: ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 0 - FC BARCELONA, 1. (0-1, at halftime).

ATHLETIC MADRID: Oblak; Molina, Savic, Giménez, Reinildo (Reguilón, min.81), Carrasco (Morata, min.65); Koke (Lemar, min.74), Barrios (Kondogbia, min.64), Llorente; Griezmann and Joao Félix (Correa, min.74).

FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araujo, Christensen, Balde (Marcos Alonso, min.81); Busquets (Sergi Roberto, min.81), De Jong (Kessié, min.58), Pedri, Gavi (Rapinha, min.73); Dembélé and Ansu Fati (Ferran, min.57).

0 - 1, min.22, Dembélé.

--REFEREE: Munuera Montero (C.Andaluz). He admonished Correa (min.79) and Molina (min.85) by Atlético. And to Araujo (min.56), Christensen (min.82) and Rapinha (min.87) at Barça. He sent off Savic and Ferran with a direct red (min.92).

--STADIUM: Cívitas Metropolitano, 63,493 spectators.