Barcelona had been under par however earned a 2-0 win at Las Palmas on Saturday to maneuver again prime of La Liga. After Atletico Madrid beat Valencia 3-0 to briefly take pole place, the Catalans changed them with a slim victory on the street and sit one level forward of the Rojiblancos. Substitute Dani Olmo produced a fantastic end earlier than Ferran Torres drilled residence to settle the sport and earn Barca revenge for a shock residence defeat by Las Palmas earlier within the season.
Champions Real Madrid, third, can pull degree on factors with Barcelona in the event that they beat Girona at residence on Saturday.
“We scored two objectives, we took three factors and the three-and-a-half hour flight again is a lot better with these three factors,” Barca coach Flick informed reporters.
“(Olmo) scored the primary objective and this objective was crucial for us.
“In the primary half we missed 5-10 %, possibly extra (from our greatest degree)… the gamers are additionally not pleased with the efficiency however they’re pleased with the three factors.”
Barca had been inaccurate in assault in a decent first half, unable to seek out the standard they wanted to unpick the hosts’ defence.
Flick took motion on the break and introduced on playmaker Olmo rather than the quiet Fermin Lopez.
The Spain worldwide’s first contribution was a sloppy move that flew out of play however he shortly discovered his focus.
Lamine Yamal skipped ahead and slipped the ball to Olmo, who confirmed good footwork to seek out area within the field and end.
Olmo has not featured an awesome deal for the reason that membership’s monetary issues compelled him to be unregistered initially of the yr, till Spain’s nationwide sports activities council granted a short lived measure which allowed him to play once more.
The former RB Leipzig star missed some video games with a calf pressure in January.
“We do not feel strain, we wish to be on the prime, we all know (profitable the league) is as much as us,” Olmo informed Movistar.Â
“Today we took three necessary factors, so we’re going residence pleased.”
Las Palmas appealed for a penalty when a shot struck the again of Eric Garcia’s arm within the field however VAR confirmed there was an offside within the build-up.
Eight minutes of stoppage time had been added on which gave Las Palmas coronary heart however as an alternative it was Barcelona who struck.
A unfastened move on the again was picked up by Raphinha, who fed Torres to rifle previous Jasper Cillessen and seal Barcelona’s win.
Defeat leaves Las Palmas seventeenth, degree on factors with Valencia, 18th, within the relegation zone.
Accurate Alvarez
Julian Alvarez bagged a brace as Atletico had been capable of climb to the highest of the pile for a few hours.
The Argentina worldwide reached 9 league objectives for the season along with his first half double earlier than Angel Correa steered residence the third late on.
“I’m very pleased, it was necessary to win right here to remain within the title struggle,” Alvarez informed Movistar.
“It wasn’t a simple recreation, we knew it, they’d been doing effectively at residence, so we needed to go for it and getting three factors is superb.
“We’re nonetheless within the struggle… there are nonetheless a number of video games to go and we’ve got to go slowly, with humility and laborious work like all the time.”
Valencia had received three in a row at residence however defeat leaves them embedded in a fierce relegation battle.
Atletico began strongly and former Manchester City striker Alvarez opened the scoring within the twelfth minute.
Samuel Lino hit the bar after receiving Antoine Griezmann’s scrumptious cross, and Alvarez was readily available to fireplace residence after the ensuing scramble within the field.
Griezmann instantly created Alvarez’s second objective with one other fantastic cross which the ahead nodded residence.
Valencia got here out far stronger within the second half and commenced to check Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak, though the guests had sufficient resolve to maintain Los Che at bay.
Atletico prolonged their lead within the last levels when substitutes Conor Gallagher and Correa mixed on the counter, with the latter stroking residence.
Diego Simeone’s facet subsequent face Barcelona within the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Tuesday.
Villarreal, fifth, saved the strain on the highest 4 with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Rayo Vallecano, sixth.
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