Atletico Madrid 1-2 Barcelona

Lionel Messi has scored 22 goals in as many La Liga games against Atletico

Lionel Messi scored a late winner as Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid to go briefly top of La Liga.

Rafinha gave Barca the lead when Luis Suarez - who had an effort ruled out - took a shot which ricocheted off two defenders to land at his feet.

Diego Godin levelled when he headed home Koke's free-kick.

But Messi pounced in the 86th minute to win the game for the champions after his initial effort was blocked by defender Stefan Savic.

Real Madrid went back to the top of the table by one point later in the day when they came back from 2-0 down to beat Villarreal 3-2. They still have a game in hand on Barca.

Atleti, the 2014 champions, are now 10 points off leaders Real.

• Relive the game as it happened here.

Messi is Barca's saviour again

Barca were far from their best again, but they have now followed their 4-0 Champions League humbling by Paris St-Germain with two 2-1 victories in La Liga - with Messi scoring a late winner in each of them.

Atletico dominated the first half, with Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen making a multitude of saves. The visitors improved after the break but looked destined to be held until Messi's late intervention.

The Argentine, who had earlier forced a brilliant Jan Oblak save from a free-kick, pounced late on again from close range. Luis Suarez played the ball back to Messi, whose first shot was blocked by Savic. But he remained alert to poke home the rebound and send Barca top for four hours.

That was Messi's 20th La Liga goal in 21 games this season - and his 21st against Atletico in the league in as many attempts.

Atletico's title dream well and truly over

Atletico had looked well out of the title race at the end of 2016 but a run of eight La Liga games without a defeat, including six wins, had given them an outside chance of mounting a late challenge.

But nine points off Barca and 10 off Real, who have played one game fewer, is surely too big a bridge at this stage of the season, even for the brilliant coach Diego Simeone.

They will come to rue a series of missed efforts - with Godin driving over, and Gabi and Antoine Griezmann forcing saves from Ter Stegen in the first half, and the German again denying Griezmann after the break.

Godin's goal, his first against Barca since the effort which won the 2013-14 La Liga title, had looked enough for a point before Messi's late winner.

Now the real question is whether Atletico can hold onto the final Champions League qualifying spot, with fifth-placed Real Sociedad sitting only one point behind them.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Atl Madrid

• 13Oblak
• 16Vrsaljko
• 15SavicBooked at 65mins
• 2Godín
• 3Filipe Luís
• 6Koke
• 14Fernández ArenasBooked at 73mins
• 8SaúlBooked at 56mins
• 10CarrascoSubstituted forTorresat 68'minutes
• 21GameiroSubstituted forCorreaat 72'minutesBooked at 74mins
• 7Griezmann

Substitutes

• 1Moyá
• 9Torres
• 11Correa
• 19Hernández
• 22Partey
• 23Gaitán
• 24Giménez

Barcelona

• 1ter Stegen
• 3Piqué
• 23Umtiti
• 24MathieuSubstituted forDigneat 77'minutes
• 5BusquetsBooked at 55mins
• 20RobertoSubstituted forAndré Gomesat 85'minutes
• 8IniestaSubstituted forRakiticat 71'minutes
• 10MessiBooked at 82mins
• 12Rafinha
• 9Suárez
• 11Neymar

Substitutes

• 4Rakitic
• 6D Suárez
• 13Cillessen
• 17Alcácer
• 18Alba
• 19Digne
• 21André Gomes

Referee:

Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz

Attendance:

52,440

Match Stats

Home TeamAtl MadridAway TeamBarcelona

Possession

Home37%

Away63%

Shots

Home13

Away15

Shots on Target

Home4

Away6

Corners

Home6

Away5

Fouls

Home28

Away14

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Atlético de Madrid 1, Barcelona 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Atlético de Madrid 1, Barcelona 2.

Posted at 90'+4'

Hand ball by Luis Suárez (Barcelona).

Posted at 88'

Offside, Atlético de Madrid. Sime Vrsaljko tries a through ball, but Ángel Correa is caught offside.

Goal!

Posted at 86'

Goal! Atlético de Madrid 1, Barcelona 2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner following a set piece situation.

Posted at 86'

Attempt blocked. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luis Suárez.

Posted at 86'

Rafinha (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Gabi (Atlético de Madrid).

Substitution

Posted at 85'

Substitution, Barcelona. André Gomes replaces Sergi Roberto.

Posted at 84'

Lucas Digne (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Gabi (Atlético de Madrid).

Posted at 83'

Hand ball by Fernando Torres (Atlético de Madrid).

Booking

Posted at 82'

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 82'

Foul by Neymar (Barcelona).

Posted at 82'

Sime Vrsaljko (Atlético de Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 81'

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Saúl Ñíguez (Atlético de Madrid).

Posted at 79'

Attempt blocked. Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

Posted at 78'

Neymar (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 78'

Foul by Sime Vrsaljko (Atlético de Madrid).

Substitution

Posted at 77'

Substitution, Barcelona. Lucas Digne replaces Jeremy Mathieu because of an injury.

Posted at 75'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 74'

Delay in match Jeremy Mathieu (Barcelona) because of an injury.

Booking

Posted at 74'

Ángel Correa (Atlético de Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 74'

Jeremy Mathieu (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Ángel Correa (Atlético de Madrid).

Booking

Posted at 73'

Gabi (Atlético de Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 73'

Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 73'

Foul by Gabi (Atlético de Madrid).

Posted at 73'

Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 73'

Foul by Fernando Torres (Atlético de Madrid).

Substitution

Posted at 72'

Substitution, Atlético de Madrid. Ángel Correa replaces Kevin Gameiro.

Posted at 72'

Rafinha (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Gabi (Atlético de Madrid).

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Barcelona. Ivan Rakitic replaces Andrés Iniesta.

Goal!

Posted at 70'

Goal! Atlético de Madrid 1, Barcelona 1. Diego Godín (Atlético de Madrid) header from the left side of the six yard box to the top right corner. Assisted by Koke with a cross following a set piece situation.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Sergio Busquets (Barcelona).

Posted at 70'

Filipe Luis (Atlético de Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 69'

Hand ball by Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona).

Substitution

Posted at 68'

Substitution, Atlético de Madrid. Fernando Torres replaces Yannick Carrasco.

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