“Barcelona nearly champions after victory over Atlético in Madrid.”

Barcelona is one step away from claiming the Spanish title following a dramatic victory against Atlético de Madrid on their home ground, in a match that could determine the course of La Liga this season. With a comfortable lead over Real Madrid and only eight games remaining, the blaugranas find themselves in an almost unbeatable position on their way to the title.

This clash, the first of three intense encounters between Barcelona and Atlético in a short span, carried much greater weight for the Catalans. Aware of Real Madrid’s defeat, Barcelona needed the win to extend their lead in the standings and virtually secure the championship. Meanwhile, Atlético, with more modest aspirations in the competition, fielded a team filled with substitutes, keeping only Griezmann and Koke as regular starters, in a bold strategy by coach Simeone, who aimed to conserve energy for future challenges.

However, the most controversial decision by the Argentine coach was the use of Nico González at full-back, tasked with marking Barcelona’s young prodigy, Lamine Yamal. Lacking experience in that position, Nico struggled immensely, committing a foul that earned him a yellow card and, shortly before half-time, received a second yellow card leading to his expulsion, leaving Atlético to play the entire second half with a numerical disadvantage. Simeone kept the player in the same position, a tactical error that proved fatal for Atlético.

The match was intense and evenly matched in the first 45 minutes. Lamine Yamal nearly opened the scoring by hitting the crossbar, while both teams scored a goal each just before half-time. Atlético took the lead when Lenglet sent Giuliano Simeone through on goal, who broke away and beat goalkeeper Joan Garcia. However, Barcelona’s response was immediate: in a quick exchange between Olmo and Rashford, the Englishman shot accurately to equalize, leaving the match wide open for the second half.

At the start of the second half, the referee made a controversial decision by initially showing a red card to Gerard Martin after a harsh tackle on Thiago Almada. However, after a VAR intervention, the card was downgraded to yellow, a decision that affected the course of the match and kept Atlético with 10 players.

Even with a numerical disadvantage, Atlético defended fiercely, resisting Barcelona’s advances until the final moments. Two minutes before the final whistle, João Cancelo was the architect of the decisive play: he advanced down the left side, skillfully dribbled past two opponents, left Molina on the ground, and took a shot. Goalkeeper Musso parried the ball forward, but it struck Lewandowski in the chest, who inadvertently scored the winning goal for Barcelona — a genuine stroke of luck that could be worth the title.

In the final minutes, Atlético desperately sought an equalizer, but to no avail. The true battle between these two teams is yet to come, with the next clash scheduled for Wednesday at Spotify Camp Nou, where an even fiercer duel is expected.

João Cancelo, who returned to the starting lineup, struggled in the first half, particularly during the play leading to Giuliano Simeone’s goal, but significantly improved in the second half, finishing the match with a brilliant play that practically handed victory to Barcelona and, possibly, the title. The Catalan club is now in a strong position, ready to seal the championship they have not won in some time. La Liga breathes Barça, and the celebration may be close to starting at Camp Nou.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.