Two Late Goals as Barcelona Rally to
Beat Atletico Madrid

Madrid, 17 Mar (ONA) — Atletico
Madrid relinquished a two-goal lead in its 4-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish
league in another setback for the club after it was eliminated by Real Madrid
in the UEFA Champions League.

Playing at the Metropolitano stadium
four days after it lost to Madrid in a penalty shootout, Atletico led Barcelona
2-0 at halftime but conceded a pair of stoppage-time goals to waste a chance to
overtake the Catalan club for second place and move within a point of league
leader Madrid.

The defeat left Atletico four points
behind its two rivals, with Barcelona having a game in hand. Madrid won 2-1 at
Villarreal on Saturday, the Spanish MARCA newspaper reported.

Lamine Yamal scored two minutes into
stoppage time and Ferran Torres six minutes later to give Barcelona the gritty
come-from-behind victory.

Julián Álvarez had put Atletico
ahead after a breakaway just before halftime. It had been an unusual double
touch by Álvarez in the penalty shootout against Madrid that led to Atletico’s
elimination from the Champions League last Wednesday.

Atletico added to the lead with a
goal by substitute Alexander Sorloth from inside the area in the 70th. Robert
Lewandowski, the league’s leading scorer, kept Barcelona alive by finding the
net in the 72nd, and Torres equalized with a header after a cross by Raphinha
in the 78th.

Atletico beat Barcelona 2-1 when the
teams met in Barcelona in their first Spanish league match of the season in
December 2024. They drew 4-4 in a first-leg match in the semifinals of the Copa
del Rey last month (February 2025). The second leg is in April.

— Ends/Khalid