MADRID: Barcelona cruised to an emphatic 3-0 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday with goals from Joao Felix, Robert Lewandowski and Fermin Lopez, to move second in the La Liga standings.

The hosts dominated the early exchanges, but Barcelona grabbed the lead in the 38th minute following a fine passing move with Lewandowski teeing up Felix for an easy close-range finish.

Lewandowski extended the advantage two minutes into the second half as Raphinha stole the ball from Atletico’s Rodrigo de Paul to set up the Pole for his 13th league goal of the season.

The visitors seemed untroubled by coach Xavi Hernandez being sent off in the first half and Lopez sealed the rout in the 65th minute with a towering header off Lewandowski’s second assist of the night.

“It was probably the most complete game. It was a match similar to the one against Napoli,” said Xavi referring to their midweek win in the Champions League. “It’s an ideal match for our methodology and philosophy of play. We are Barca, nobody relaxes here. We are going to try to improve and compete for the two most important titles.

“I am passionate and I want my team to win. For me the sending off was unnecessary and unfair but we have to accept it.”

Barcelona moved above Girona, who were beaten 1-0 by Getafe on Saturday, in the table with 64 points, eight behind leaders Real Madrid.

Atletico, who were reduced to 10 men in stoppage time following Nahuel Molina’s red card, suffered their first home loss of the season to leave them fifth with 55 points, one adrift of Athletic Bilbao in the last Champions League qualifying berth.

“They were better. The second goal took us straight out of the game. Congratulations to them because they played a good game,” Atletico manager Diego Simeone said. “Nothing to complain about my players. They gave their all. Let’s stay calm and push for fourth place. It will be complicated and difficult.”

Earlier Almeria ended a miserable streak by earning their first La Liga win of the season, edging Las Palmas 1-0.

The Andalusian side went 31 league games without victory stretching back to May last season, but Leo Baptistao’s 14th-minute goal snapped their terrible run in coach Pepe Mel’s first match in charge.

Despite winning on the road, Mel’s side are still 20th and 14 points from safety with nine matches remaining.

Almeria’s 31-match run is the longest winless streak in the division’s history, but they are now level with Sporting Gijon’s lowest ever points tally from 1997-98.

Victory ensured Almeria will not tally fewer points than Derby County’s 11 in the Premier League in 2007-08, which is the lowest total across Europe’s top leagues since teams started earning three points for a win.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024