Fermin brace earns Liga leaders Barcelona 2-1 win at Atletico

Fermin Lopez struck twice to help Barcelona come from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 and move three points clear at the top of La Liga.

The Spanish champions lead second place Real Madrid, who beat Valencia 3-0 on Saturday, with Atletico third, now five points behind.

Giuliano Simeone fired Atletico ahead in a high-octane start, before Lopez pulled Barca level shortly before the interval at the Metropolitano stadium.

The 23-year-old Spain international netted the winner after 66 minutes when Lamine Yamal slipped him in.

The match started at a fast pace and both teams hit the woodwork in the opening stages.

Alvarez, who tried and failed to force a move from Atletico to Barca in the summer, rounded goalkeeper Joan Garcia but could not finish off the chance as the defence blocked his route to goal.

From the resulting corner Atletico defender Marc Pubill headed against the crossbar with Garcia beaten.

At the other end Pedri crashed a strike against the woodwork after being fed by Barca’s teenage star Lamine Yamal.

Atletico took the lead in the 10th minute, slicing Barca’s defence open. Alvarez crossed for Giuliano Simeone to turn home from close range.

The game settled down after that pulsating start, although Alvarez came close to scoring Atletico’s second.

The Argentine international’s shot was fumbled by Garcia, but the goalkeeper was able to collect the ball quickly afterwards.

Yamal blasted into the side-netting from a tight angle with Barcelona not able to click into their top gears.

Despite their struggles they went in level at the break, with a goal out of nowhere.

Lopez’s path to the box was blocked but the ball bounced loose to the midfielder and he quickly smashed a strike past Jan Oblak.

Early in the second half Alvarez lobbed over the crossbar when running in on goal.

The forward came to rue the miss when Barcelona took the lead.

Yamal played a clever pass through Atletico’s defence and Lopez kept his cool to beat Oblak. It was his seventh league goal in 11 top flight appearances this season.

Barcelona kept Atletico at bay well in the final stages to take three points home from the capital before the international break.

Earlier on fourth-place Real Betis earned a 2-0 win at Elche, while Real Sociedad, fifth, defeated Rayo Vallecano 1-0.

Villarreal beat Getafe 2-0 to move eighth and Celta Vigo and Levante shared a goalless draw.

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