Luis Suarez salvaged a late point for Barcelona as his header earned the Catalans a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
See how the action unfolded at Wanda Metropolitano with Football Espana’s liveblog!
Saul Niguez's delightful curler gave Atleti the lead against the run of play, but Suarez popped up to maintain Barca's five-point lead at the top of La Liga.
The Metropolitano bore witness to Atleti-Barca for the first time ever, with both sides lining up as expected.
Angel Correa partnered Antoine Griezmann up top for Los Rojiblancos, while Andre Gomes replaced Sergi Roberto on the right-hand side of the Catalans’ midfield.
The Blaugrana lost just once to Atleti in three years under Luis Enrique, but Ernesto Valverde had never beaten Diego Simeone as a Coach.
Lionel Messi needed just 30 seconds to get in behind Los Colchoneros’ defence, but Jan Oblak smothered the ball before it was too late.
It was soon Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s turn to make a save as he kept out Antoine Griezmann’s powerful drive from close range.
Atleti then went ahead against the run of play, when Saul picked his spot to perfection, nestling a curling effort into the bottom right of Ter Stegen’s net.
Messi became the player to hit the woodwork more times than any other player in Europe’s top five Leagues when he bent a free kick onto the post, before Oblak pushed away a Suarez piledriver.
Barca made a double substitution on the hour mark as Sergi Roberto and Gerard Deulofeu replaced Nelson Semedo and Andres Iniesta, prompting a switch to 4-3-3.
Messi soon collected Suarez’s layoff in the six-yard box, before zipping a low shot on target, which the Slovakian spilled before catching.
The Argentine was at it again moments later, blasting a shot inches wide of Oblak’s left-hand post first time.
It didn’t look like being the Blaugrana’s day when Suarez’s flicked finish was tipped away by a big Oblak hand, but the No 9 nonetheless bounced a header past the goalkeeper at his far post.
Suarez could’ve – and should’ve – won it for Barca, but his toe missed Gomes’ angled cross by a whisker, while Oblak was on hand to keep out Messi’s free kick deep in stoppage time.
Atletico Madrid 1-1 Barcelona
Saul 21 (AM) Suarez 82 (B)
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Juanfran, Savic, Godin, Filipe; Koke, Saul, Gabi (Fernando Torres 83), Carrasco (Thomas 73), Correa (Gaitan 59), Griezmann
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo (Sergi Roberto 61), Pique, Umtiti, Alba; Gomes, Rakitic (Paulinho 79), Busquets, Iniesta (Deulofeu 61); Messi, Suarez
Referee: Mateu Lahoz
