Atletico Madrid 2-0 Barcelona: Atletico increase pressure on Barca boss Ronald Koeman

3 years ago 26

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Last updated on Less than a minute ago.From the section European Football

Reigning champions Atletico Madrid went level with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga and inflicted further damage on Ronald Koeman's struggling Barcelona with a deserved win in Spain's capital.

Thomas Lemar scored the opener, finishing well at the end of a move involving Joao Felix and Suarez.

Suarez then slotted in against his former club to put Atletico in charge.

Antoine Griezmann also featured against his former club as a late substitute as Atletico basked in their superiority.

For all the woe surrounding Barca this season, this loss was actually their first in La Liga - but it leaves them eighth in the table on 12 points, five behind Diego Simeone's side, who are second only on goal difference but have played a game more than rivals Real.

Prior to this, Barca had three wins and three draws to their name, with back-to-back chastening 3-0 losses in the Champions League doing most to harm Koeman's position at the club.

Barca had chances on Saturday, especially at 1-0, with Philippe Coutinho volleying an effort just wide and Frenkie de Jong just inches away from converting from close range following Memphis Depay's header across goal.

Coutinho also had a great chance to get the visitors back into the game in the second half but saw his shot from inside the box saved by Jan Oblak.

Despite having much more of the ball, Barcelona were second best at the Wanda Metropolitano, falling to a defeat that may well test president Joan Laporte's assertion from earlier on Saturday that Koeman would continue at the club regardless of the result in Madrid.

They now have a two-week break from action for internationals, with their next fixture at home to Valencia on 17 October.

Line-ups

Atl Madrid

Formation 3-1-4-2

13Oblak
15Savic
2Giménez
22HermosoSubstituted forFelipeat 81'minutes
6KokeBooked at 78mins
14Llorente
5de PaulBooked at 45minsSubstituted forTrippierat 45'minutes
11Lemar
21CarrascoSubstituted forLodi dos Santosat 81'minutes
9SuárezSubstituted forGriezmannat 72'minutes
7SequeiraSubstituted forCorreaat 72'minutes

Substitutes

1Lecomte
8Griezmann
10Correa
12Lodi dos Santos
16Herrera
17Saponjic
18Felipe
23Trippier
24Vrsaljko

Barcelona

Formation 4-2-3-1

1ter Stegen
22MinguezaSubstituted forde Jongat 75'minutes
4Araujo
3Piqué
2DestSubstituted forLengletat 86'minutes
28González IglesiasSubstituted forRobertoat 45'minutes
5Busquets
21de Jong
14CoutinhoSubstituted forFati Vieiraat 64'minutes
30Paez GaviriaBooked at 20minsSubstituted forPuig Martíat 75'minutes
9Depay

Substitutes

6Puig Martí
10Fati Vieira
11Demir
13Murara Neto
15Lenglet
17de Jong
18Alba
20Roberto
23Umtiti
24García
26Peña Sotorres

Referee:César Soto Grado

Attendance:60,594

Live Text

Match ends, Atletico Madrid 2, Barcelona 0.
Second Half ends, Atletico Madrid 2, Barcelona 0.
Foul by Clément Lenglet (Barcelona).
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid).
Substitution, Barcelona. Clément Lenglet replaces Sergiño Dest.
Attempt missed. Memphis Depay (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Memphis Depay (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid).
Substitution, Atletico Madrid. Felipe replaces Mario Hermoso.
Substitution, Atletico Madrid. Renan Lodi replaces Yannick Carrasco.
Koke (Atletico Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Ansu Fati (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Koke (Atletico Madrid).
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by José Giménez.
Substitution, Barcelona. Riqui Puig replaces Gavi.
Substitution, Barcelona. Luuk de Jong replaces Óscar Mingueza.
Substitution, Atletico Madrid. Antoine Griezmann replaces Luis Suárez.
Substitution, Atletico Madrid. Ángel Correa replaces João Félix.