Ter Stegen stops Atlético and Messi decides with a great goal five minutes from the end

Whenever you forgive, you pay. And much more so when Leo Messi is in the reverse workforce. The Argentine star was once more decisive with a play mark of the home that uneven a match that by no means deserved to lose Atlético de Madrid. The rojiblancos stay denied in the face of the goal and collided with the man who, presumably, is giving Barcelona extra efficiency in these first 4 months of competitors: Marc-André Ter Stegen.

The German goalkeeper saved his workforce with two paradones, one to Mario Hermoso and one other to Álvaro Morata, when Atlético deserved it most. The Simeone made twenty-five minutes of great soccer and drowning his opponent with suffocating strain from which he may by no means escape. Barcelona didn’t final possession, he was not snug, with and with out the ball, and was always limping on the left wing, the place Junior by no means lived as much as the nonetheless injured Jordi Alba.

The primary warning was from Morata as quickly as he began and five minutes later, in the 6 ', he had the first in Junior's boots, which cleared a lovely satin heart that ended up crashing on the stick. These of Simeone continued with their plan and didn’t tire of recovering balls in the reverse area. Therefore an vital alternative for Herrera was born, however his launch searching for the lengthy stick went broad. Moments earlier than Lovely was presumably the clearest with a shut shot that saved Ter Stegen.

Barcelona was grogui, in opposition to the ropes, and didn’t manufacture its first alternative till the 25th minute, when Messi disguised as Busquets by stealing a ball that Rakitic completed with a low shot that broke Oblak in two phases. From there, the Valverde workforce raised the stage and Atlético delayed its traces a few meters. One thing cheap after the vertiginous begin of the first minutes. It was unattainable to maintain up the tempo interested by the second half that got here forward.

The rhythm by no means ceased

Each time it rains escape, however after a few minutes of truce the two groups climbed the decibels of the Rock And Roll with three clear events in simply five minutes. First Suarez, who armed the leg in tenths of a second to silence the Metropolitan; second Morata, whose header pressured Ter Stegen to react with one other cease in an motion of infinite reflexes; and third with a stub from Piqué that crashed on the stick. With all this, the match went to the break with out targets and didn’t deserve it after the present provided by each groups.

The second act was quieter by way of events between the three fits, however the tempo by no means left the sport. The Valverde workforce loved possession whereas these of Simeone most well-liked to attend of their area to go in opposition to the pace of Morata, Correa and Joao Felix. In certainly one of them, Mateu Lahoz forgave the pink one to Piqué. The referee indicated a foul that was not, however as soon as referred to as was prone to see the second yellow. He did the identical later with Vitolo, who deserved to be expelled for a arduous deal with on Pique.

The sport was coming to an end and the gamers on each side had been accusing the effort. Simeone sought recent blood, however the modifications (Lemar and previously Vitolo) didn’t contribute, somewhat they subtracted the efficiency provided by Correa and Joao Felix. The 2 groups, exhausted, had been leaving extra and extra noticeable areas and the sport grew to become a correcalles from which Barcelona benefited with a play 'made in Leo Messi'.

The Argentine, deadly with areas, began from the proper and partnered with Suarez to regulate the ball in such a approach that he made the stretch of Oblak ineffective. All of it got here from a lack of Lemar and a trip by Sergi Roberto who portrayed Vitolo's defensive effort. It was the 85th minute and Atlético saved making an attempt, however with extra coronary heart than head. Numerous heart, however little effectivity for a match during which the most honest factor would have been a draw. However with Messi and Ter Stegen it’s already identified.

DATA SHEET

ATHLETIC OF MADRID: Oblak; Trippier, Felipe, Hermoso, Saúl; Thomas, Herrera (Lodi, min. 87), Koke, Correa (Lemar, min. 73); João Félix (Vitolo, min. 66) and Morata.

FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué (Umtiti, min. 83), Lenglet, Junior Firpo; De Jong, Rakitic, Arthur (Vidal, min. 74); Griezmann, Suarez and Messi.

–GOAL:

0-1, min. 86: Messi.

–REFEREE: Mateu Lahoz (C. Valencian). Yellow card with Thomas (min. 8), Correa (min. 21), Felipe (min. 73) by Atlético de Madrid; and Junior Firpo (min. 18), Piqué (min. 32), Rakitic (min. 51), Lenglet (min. 65) at FC Barcelona.

–STADIUM: Wanda Metropolitano, 64,226 spectators.