Striker sends Catalans three points clear of Real Madrid with tense 1-0 win over Atletico
\n MADRID
\nOusmane Dembele\u2019s strike sent Barcelona three points clear at the top of La Liga with a tense 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
\nEarlier David Silva produced a masterclass to help third place Real Sociedad beat Almeria 2-0, while Real Betis moved fourth with an entertaining 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano.
\nStruggling Sevilla earned a crucial 2-1 win over Getafe to climb out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
\nCapitalising on champions Real Madrid\u2019s defeat by Villarreal, Barcelona set out to make a statement victory over Atletico at the Metropolitano.
\nShorn of suspended top scorer Robert Lewandowski, Xavi selected Ansu Fati up front in his place, but it was Dembele who made the difference, finishing a slick move in the 22nd minute.
\nAtletico ramped up the pressure, with the superb Ronald Araujo clearing off the line from Antoine Griezmann at the death, but Diego Simeone\u2019s side could not find an equaliser.
\nBoth teams finished with 10 men after Ferran Torres and Stefan Savic were sent off for brawling with each other on the floor as tempers soured.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s a win, but it\u2019s not just three points. It gives us morale and confidence for what\u2019s left of the league,\u201d Xavi told reporters.
\n\u201cWe are capable of winning at place as tough as this, suffering, being a family.
\n\u201cWe knew how to suffer and we take three golden points. It\u2019s a real statement that we are candidates to win this league.\u201d
\nBarcelona have conceded just six goals in their first 16 La Liga matches but Griezmann twice came close to finding the equaliser Atletico craved.
\nThe Catalans only mustered two shots on target and Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak said his side deserved more.
\n\u201cWe had a good game, apart from the first 25 minutes,\u201d Oblak told DAZN.
\n\u201cWe pressed well, we had chances, but lacked a bit of luck to score.\u201d
\n\u201cWe started badly, the first 25 minutes we had little confidence, and later we woke up, but at 1-0 down it\u2019s already harder.\u201d Defeat means Atletico languish in fifth, 14 points behind leaders Barcelona.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s not a worrying situation but it is one that we have to deal with,\u201d Simeone told reporters.
\n\u201cThe reality is that we lost. It\u2019s true the team had the merit to take away another result, that didn\u2019t happen because we didn\u2019t put it away. What happens in the boxes is crucial.\u201d Youngster Fati had an early effort brilliantly blocked by the sprawling Jose Gimenez, as Barcelona dominated the opening exchanges.
\nXavi said on Saturday Atletico barely have any gaps in their defence but Pedri uncovered one to create the opening goal.
\nThe midfielder capitalised on space in front of the box, before feeding Gavi, who teed up Dembele to clinically slot home.
\nMarcos Llorente had Atletico\u2019s first decent opportunity after half an hour when Griezmann scooped a ball delicately over the defence to set him in, but Araujo deflected his effort wide.
\nThe hosts wrestled back control and Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a superb save at full stretch to deny the pink-haired Griezmann, becoming increasingly influential against his former side.
\nAtletico began the second half in determined fashion, pushing Barca deeper and deeper.
\nOnly Griezmann\u2019s compatriot Dembele offered the leaders an outlet on the break and he had a drive deflected into the side-netting.<\/p>\n
Xavi brought on Franck Kessie for De Jong and it helped steady the ship, with Barcelona managing some stretches of possession which frustrated the home fans.<\/p>\n
Red cards for Torres and Savic reignited the game in stoppage time and Griezmann might have snatched a point but for Araujo\u2019s crucial clearance on the line.<\/p>\n
Real Sociedad\u2019s veteran Spanish playmaker Silva, 37, capitalised on defensive confusion in Almeria\u2019s box to nip in and fire home the opener just after half-time.<\/p>\n
Alexander Sorloth drilled home his sixth league goal of the season five minutes later to extend La Real\u2019s lead.<\/p>\n
Without the suspended Brais Mendez, Imanol Alguacil\u2019s side were not at their best but still managed to inflict promoted side Almeria\u2019s first home defeat since September, leaving them 14th.<\/p>\n
The victory leaves Alguacil\u2019s side in high spirits ahead of next weekend\u2019s Basque derby clash with Athletic Bilbao.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Striker sends Catalans three points clear of Real Madrid with tense 1-0 win over Atletico MADRID Ousmane Dembele\u2019s strike sent Barcelona three points clear at the top of La Liga with a tense 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Earlier David Silva produced a masterclass to help third place Real Sociedad beat Almeria 2-0, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":306579,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-306562","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n