Fermín López's double sends Barcelona past Atlético Madrid 1-2 to extend their LaLiga lead

Barcelona had to come from behind to keep hold of the LaLiga summit. Giuliano Simeone put Atlético Madrid ahead inside ten minutes at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, finishing off a Julián Álvarez pass, but Fermín López answered right on the stroke of half-time and struck again midway through the second half to turn the game around, sending Barcelona back to Catalonia with a 1-2 win and a bigger cushion at the top.

Simeone's opener, in the 10th minute, was the early warning sign Atlético's home support had been waiting for — a quick combination down the inside-left channel finished first time. Barcelona needed until the 45th to find a way back, Fermín López converting right at the end of the first half to send the sides in level, before the same player struck again in the 66th minute, turning in a pass from Lamine Yamal to complete the turnaround. Atlético pushed for a second equaliser in the closing stages but could not force one, and picked up four bookings along the way as the frustration grew: Álex Baena, Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill and Morten Hjulmand all went into referee's book by full time, with Barcelona's only caution going to substitute Marc Bernal.

Match facts

• 10' — Giuliano Simeone, assist Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid)
• 45' — Fermín López (Barcelona)
• 66' — Fermín López, assist Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Line-ups

Atlético Madrid lined up in a 4-4-2: Jan Oblak in goal behind Dávid Hancko, Marc Pubill, Alejandro Grimaldo and Marcos Llorente, Pablo Barrios and Koke through the centre, Álex Baena and Lee Kang-in providing the width, and Giuliano Simeone paired with Julián Álvarez up front. Alexander Sørloth, Jonathan David, Johnny Cardoso and Morten Hjulmand came off the bench during the match. Barcelona set up in a 4-1-4-1: Joan García started behind a back four of Gerard Martín, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Bernal and João Cancelo, with Brian Fariñas screening in front of them, Pedri, Fermín López, Anthony Gordon and Lamine Yamal spread across midfield, and Raphinha leading the line. Gavi, Karim Adeyemi, Eric García, Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen were introduced in the second half.

A wobble answered on the road

The result papers over an uneven fortnight. Barcelona's five games before this trip to Madrid read W L L W W in Guriball's own archive — wins over Getafe and Alavés either side of back-to-back defeats, to PSG in the Champions League and then to Real Madrid in the Clásico. Winning away at Atlético, the kind of fixture that has undone them before, answers some of the questions that run of form raised, even if it took a Fermín López double rather than the headline names to settle it. Lamine Yamal's assist on the second goal was his only direct contribution on the scoresheet, with Raphinha kept off the mark for once.

The table: Barcelona pull clear again

Real Madrid's 0-3 win at Valencia the previous day had drawn them level with Barcelona on points, though a game further into the season. This win restores Barcelona's daylight: 33 points from 12 matches, three points clear of Real Madrid in second, and five ahead of Atlético Madrid, who stay third on 28 points despite the defeat — their second loss of the campaign in LaLiga, after September's reverse at Athletic Club. Barcelona's goal difference, now plus-35, remains comfortably the best in the division.

A game Barcelona barely needed to see much of the ball to settle

The underlying numbers told two different stories either side of half-time. Atlético had the better of the opening exchanges and the goal to show for it, but Barcelona finished with 63% possession and 615 of 675 passes completed to the home side's 317 of 391 — a gulf that widened once Fermín López's second goal took the sting out of the Metropolitano. Shots on target finished level at four apiece, a reminder that Atlético were never cut open at will even as the ball spent most of the second half with the visitors.