Match report: Barcelona 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Sid Lowe was at the Camp Nou to see Barcelona and Atletico fight out an entertaining stalemate, with the main beneficiaries being Real Madrid.
Jan Oblak speaks: “Luckily the ball just went wide and I didn’t have to touch it,” he says of Messi’s late free-kick. “we know how dangerous he can be from free-kicks but these are moments in games. He can often decide the game when he wants.
Is this a bad result? “We proved we came here to win the game. In the first half we played better than in the second and it’s just one point more on the board. We still have three games left to play and we have to keep fighting on. We’ll see what happens at the end of the season. We want to win all three games and we’ll see where we end up.”
Gerard Pique speaks: “We wanted it to be a bit better,” he says in an interview with La Liga. “We are still alive in the chase for the title. We had a good game overall, we competed well. We had more chances than them; clearer chances as well. It wasn’t to be but we now know the situation that we’re in and can’t just rely on ourselves. But looking at the results we’ve seen this season, I think this is a title race that is wide open. We have three games left to play and we now have to go and win on Tuesday.”
Full time: Barcelona 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeep! The deadlock remains resolutely unbroken at the Camp Nou, where both sides had plenty of chances to steal all three points. While neither side will be paerticularly upset with this outcome, it probably suits Real Madrid best. A win for them over Sevilla tomorrow night will send them top of the table but only on head-to-head results against Atletico.
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90+3 min: Carrasco’s inswinger is headed away and it’s all over. An entertaining game finishes scoreless.
90+3 min: Atletico corner.
90+1 min: Atletico free-kick that will enable them to get the ball in the Barcelona box. Carrasco’s delivery to the edge of the area is poor and Barcelona clear.
89 min: Messi - who else - takes the free-kick, but sends it about a foot high and wide of the top left-hand corner. Oblak looked to have it covered but it wasn’t far away.
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88 min: Free-kick for Barcelona about 25 yards from the Atletico goal, a little left of centre.
86 min: Despite his best attempts, Griezmann is unable to reach a curled Dembele cross to the far post.
84 min: A delightful cross from Alba is met by Dembele, who heads over the bar. That was a glorious scoring opportunity but the substitute wasted it. He really attacked that ball but couldn’t keep his powerful header down.
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83 min: Penalised and booked. He’ll miss Barca’s next game through suspension.
83 min: Gerard Pique is penalised for a foul on Joao Felix.
81 min: Barcelona have confirmed that Sergio Busquets has been taken to hospital to undergo tests after being forced off in the first half with a bang on the head. He went off after a clash of heads, came back on and immediately went down injured again and was substituted. Here’s hoping he’s ok.
79 min: Barcelona win a free-kick for a foul on Ousmane Dembele just outside the Atletico box, not too far from the corner flag. Messi’s pull-back towards Dembele on the edge of the area is poor and intercepted by Joao Felix.
76 min: Barcelona double-substitution: Sergi Roberto and Ousmane Dembele on for Pedri and Sergino Dest.
74 min: Messi and Alba combine down the left again and the latter’s volleyed cross to the near post is met by Griezmann, who can only deflect it into the arms of Oblak from close range.
73 min: Atletico substitution: Geoffrey Kondogbia on for Angel Correa. The substitute takes up a holding position in midfield and Marcos Llorente moves forward.
70 min: Now Atletico get the ball in the Barcelona net, only for Suarez’s effort to be correctly ruled out for a foul by Carrasco on Pique in the build-up.
69 min: Another foul on Messi, another free-kick for Barcelona. It’s played wide to Jordi Alba, who crosses from the left to Araujo. He heads home from the edge of the six yard box but is immediately flagged for offisde. Close but no cigar for the Barcelona substitute.
68 min: Atletico Madrid substitution: Joao Felix on for Saul Niguez. The first half substitute gets taken off before he is sent off. Atletico are now playing with two central midfielders instead of three. Joao Felix and Angel Correa are playing further up the field with Luis Suarez operating a lone striker.
65 min: Koke gets booked for a blatant tug on the arm of Messi as he attempted to cut into the Atletico penalty area. That’s three Atleti players who have been booked for fouls on the Barcelona skipper in this contest. Messi takes the free-kick from the left and goes directly for goal. Oblak puts the ball out for a corner at the far post - I’m not sure the Messi shot was on target but the Atletico goalkeeper was taking no chances.
63 min: Leo Messi floats a ball into the Atletico penalty area, where an airborne Gerard Pique can only get the faintest of touches with his forehead. He nods the ball straight at Oblak.
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62 min: A Jordi Alba cross takes a deflection into the path of Ilaix, whose howitzer of a shot is deflected out for a corner. Nothing comes from the set piece.
61 min: Sergino Dest sends a cross from the right staright into the hands of Jan Oblak. In the penalty area, Leo Messi and Antoine Griezmann are not best pleased with their teammate’s poor delivery.
60 min: Saul Niguez, already on a yellow card, is penalised for a shove on Antoine Griezmann. He’s skating on thin ice, not least with this whistle-happy referee.
58 min: Barcelona’s Ilaix Moriba is booked for a late challenge on Yannick Carrasco.
57 min: Correa floats the ball across the penalty area, picking out Luis Suarez, who swivels and volleys straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The linesman flags for offside, prompting a furious reaction from the Uruguayan.
54 min: Koke’s corner is only half-cleared as far as Carrasco, whose venomous shot is blocked by Frenkie de Jong in the Barcelona penalty area.
53 min: Sergino Dest heads a ball floated from deep out for an Atletico corner. From that, they win another through good work from Correa.
52 min: Griezmann presses high up the pitch as Atletico try to build an attack from deep.
50 min: Jordi Alba and Messi combine down the left before the defender sends a cross towards the far post. It’s put out for a corner, which Jan Oblak punches clear when the ball comes his way.
49 min: Corner for Real Madrid. Carrasco whips the ball wide of the far post and it’s a goal kick for Barcelona.
47 min: Luiz Suarez fires well wide from distance.
46 min: The second half begins much like the first, with Messi getting fouled by Felipe. Free-kick for Barca, wide on the right. The ball’s floated into the penalty arera, where Clement Lenglet stretches every sinew and heads it over. If he’d left it, Araujo was lurking behind him in a better position to head the ball goalwards.
Second half: Barcelona 0-0 Atletico Madrid
46 min: Play resumes with Ronaldo Araujo replacing Oscar Mingueza in Barcelona’s back three. Mingueza had a fairly torrid time of it in the first half so it’s no big surprise to see him withdrawn.
Half-time: Barcelona 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Peep! It’s scoreless at the break but both teams will adjourn to their dressing-rooms ruing missed chances. Leo Messi created and missed the pick of them, denied by an excellent Jan Oblak save. BUt it was Atletico who dominated, with Yannick Carrasco, Felipe, Angel Correa and Marcos Llorente all going close.
45+1 min: There’ll be four minutes of added time, following the injuries to Thomas Lemar and Sergio Busquets, both of whom had to go off.
45 min: From the corner, the ball falls for Felipe, who shoots over the bar from distance.
43 min: Now Carrasco cuts through the Barcelona defence like a hot knife through butter before unleashing a shot. Pique makes a crucial block.
41 min: Oof! Leo Messi cuts inside from the right touchline, the ball glued to his feet. He scuttles past one ... two ... three ... four ... five defenders before unleashing a shot from the edge of the penalty area. His effort whistles inches past the upright after Jan Oblak dives to his left to get a fingertip on it. Nothing comes of the corner.
40 min: The deadlock remains unbroken in a game that could go either way. Barcelona are dominating possession but Atletico have had the pick of the chances so far.
37 min: Ter Stegen is forced into action again, getting down at his near post to block a low Correa drive from the left. The ball bounces up in the air and ter Stegen gets to his feet quickly to swat it away from the head of the incoming Luis Suarez.
He cuffs Suarez’s head with the follow through of his hand and the Urugayan goes to ground as if he’s just been shot. He wants a penalty but has to settle for a corner from which nothing comes.
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34 min: Saul Niguez gets booked for pulling Messi back after the Barcelona skipper had given him the slip down the right wing.
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33 min: Atletico burst forward, with Carasco pulling the ball back to Marcos Llorente in the Barcelona penalty area. His shot on the run is fairly feeble but still needs saving by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
31 min: Barcelona susbtitution: Sergio Busquets off, Ilaix Moriba on. The substitute takes up the position perviously occupied by Frenkie de Jong, who moves back to the Busquets holding role.
30 min: The ref clears Busquets to come back on after having a quick word with the Barcelona medical staff. He’s straight back into action contesting the ball and goes down hurt again. That has to be it for him.
28 min: There’s a break in play as Busquets receives treatment and both sets of players adjourn to the touchline for an impromptu drinks reception. Busquets goes off with a bloody nose, looking a bit groggy. He’s anxious to get back on but his team’s medical staff are keeping him sidelined for the time being.
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27 min: Sergio Busquets comes off second best from a clash of heads with Stefan Savic after the pair contested a high ball.
26 min: Barcelona continue pressing and probing patiently around the edge of the final third, attempting to find a way through the massed ranks of the Atletico defence.
25 min: Jordi Alba gets forward down the left but completely overhits his attempted pass to Leo Messi.
22 min: Luis Suarez goes down holding his face after shipping a forearm to the chops from Gerard Pique as he tried to dart past him. He instructs the referee to give his former team-mate a yellow card, an order that goes ignored.
18 min: Clement Lenglet sticks in a foot to prevent Angel Correa making clean contact on a cross from the left. It’s a crucial interception from about eight yards out and Barcelona clear the resulting corner.
17 min: Alba and Pedri try to combine on the left side of the Atletico penalty area, but Felipe sticks out a leg and intercepts the ball before they can cause any damage. Fun stat: in the opening 15 minutes, Barcelona completed nearly 160 passes, Atletico just 39.
16 min: The free-kick is played short to Dest, who crosses into the penalty area. Gerard Pique rises high, but can’t reach it. Atletico clear their lines.
15 min: Saul Niguez replaces the injured Lemar in a cagey game so far low on chances and very high on free-kicks. There’s another one as Dest is fouled by Hermoso wide on the right between the left side of the penalty area and the touchline.
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13 min: Thomas Lemar pulledup with a hamstring injury during that passage of play and has to go off. Nothing comes from the corner.
12 min: Barcelona win a corner as Griezmann attempts to pick out Sergino Dest in the penalty area after a neat through ball from Messi.
11 min: Atletico look happy to sit back and invite Barcelona on to them, hoping to attack their hosts on the break.
9 min: Now Pigue fouls Luis Suarez, who goes down on the edge of the Barcelona penalty area. The free-kick is well left of centre and Suarez curls it straight into the gloves of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
8 min: Another foul on Messi, this time by Angel Correa about 25 yards out from the Atletico penalty area.
7 min: Atletico try to get forward, making the pitch as wide as possible with Kieran Trippier and Yannick Carrasco hugging their respective touchlines.
6 min: Messi is fouled again in midfield as he lays the ball off to Sergio Busquets, Mario Hermoso the guilty party.
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5 min: Both teams have lined up identically, with five across the back, three central midfielders each and two strikers.
3 min: Thomas Lemar picks up the ball on the left flank, cuts inside and tries a shot from distance. His low drive is on target but doesn’t trouble Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the Barcelona goal.
2 min: Diego Simeone has been chopping and changing his formations in recent weeks, sometimes going withg a back four, other times a five. Today he seems to have lined up with three at the back, with Kieran Trippier and Yannick Carasco playing as wing-backs.
Barcelona v Atletico Madrid is go ...
1 min: Play begins and within seconds Leo Messi is fouled by Koke. Moments later, Pedri is penalised for handball in a very scrappy opening 20 seconds.
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Not long now: The teams march past the chaplaincy near the Camp Nou dressing-rooms and out on to the pitch with both sets of players wearing the colours with which their clubs are usually associated.
Barcelona wear maroon and blue shirts, blue shorts and blue socks. Atletico Madrid’s representatives wear red and white striped shirts, red shorts and red socks. Kick-off is just a few moments away, following the last of the pre-math formalities between captains Leo Messi and Koke.
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Elsewhere in La Liga: Real Sociedad beat Elche last night, leaving the side from Alicante deep in trouble, second from bottom of the table but just a point from safety. In today’s early kick-off Alavers and Levante have played out a 2-2 draw. The point moves Alaves fifth from bottom, two points above the drop zone. Levante, on 39 points, look safe.
Ronald Koeman: The Barcelona manager serves the second part of a two-match touchline ban today, having failed to overturn the suspension he received after being dismissed from his technical area during Barcelona’s game against Granada shortly before the end of April.
Koeman was punished for saying “what a character” to referee Gonzalez Fuertes and believes his punishment does not fit the crime. He was also upset that he had already served half his ban before the powers that be had considerered his appeal, finally getting around to upholding his punishment yesterday.
“What I can say is yes, I feel like it’s personal,” he said. “For saying ‘what a character’ I think it is not insulting, it is not a reason to sanction a person for two games, so there is something else. They have already sanctioned me with two games and I do not understand why the resolution lasts so long and it cannot be confirmed if I can be there tomorrow or not.” Koeman’s assistant Alfred Schreuder will take his place in the technical area.
Barcelona v Atletico Madrid line-ups
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Dest, Mingueza, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; De Jong, Busquets, Pedri; Messi, Griezmann.
Subs: Tenas, Neto, Firpo, Araujo, Umtiti, Sergi Roberto, Moriba, Pjanic, Puig, Braithwaite, Dembele, Trincao.
Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Trippier, Savic, Felipe, Hermoso; Carrasco, Koke, Llorente, Lemar’ Correa, Suarez.
Subs: Grbic, Gimenez, Lodi, Vrsaljko, Kondogbia, Torreira, Niguez, Herrera, Vitolo, Felix, Dembele.
Early tream news
Philippe Coutinho and Ansu Fati are both sidelined for Barcelona, while striker Martin Braithwaite is a major doubt. Sergi Roberto is expected to start at right wing-back for Ronald Koeman’s side, and with Leo Messi and Antoine Griezmann likely to start up front for Barca, Ousmane Dembele may have to settle for a place on the bench.
Brazilian left-back Renan Lodi is one of two injury concerns for Atletico Madrid and will be replaced by Yannick Carasco if he is unabe to play. There are also doubts regarding the fitness of centre-back Jose Gimenez but the Uruguayan is expected to play.
La Liga: Barcelona v Atletico Madrid
It’s all to play for in Spain and the stakes could scarcely be higher as La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid travel to the Camp Nou for a game that is likely to prove crucial in deciding the outcome of this year’s title race.
Atletico are top of the table, two points clear of Real Madrid and today’s opponents Barcelona. With just four rounds of fixtures remaining, they could all but end Barca’s title hopes with a victory. A win for the hosts, by contrast, would enable them to go a point clear of Diego Simeone’s side.
Elsewhere in Spain, Real Madrid face fourth-placed Sevilla tomorrow night in another game likely to have a serious say in the coronation of the champions. Kick-off in Barcelona is at 3.15pm (BST) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
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