In other news, and please don’t hold me to this, but the Copa Libertadores final second leg looks like it’s going ahead. Join John Brewin for all the fun…
The La Liga table with Sevilla still in with a shot of taking first if they can beat a pretty decent Valladolid team tomorrow afternoon…
What a truly strange game of football. It was utterly bleak for 77 minutes until Diego Costa’s opener – his first Atletico goal since February and first ever against Barcelona – and then we had an actual match on our hands, a genuine sporting contest. Credit to Valverde who was bold in his substitutions with Dembele and Malcom brought on and, eventually, the sheer weight of numbers in the final third told as the French winger found far too much space on the right to score. Atleti will be annoyed not to have seen out the win – in what would have been Simeone’s first league triumph over Barca – the defending champions overjoyed to have got a point out of a game that was getting away from them. But very little was memorable in this match.
90+4 min: Barca break with Messi and he had space to his left to play a pass but Hernandez does so well in winning the tackle and then drawing a foul from Rafinha who’s booked.
90+3 min: Corner for Atletico. Genuinely can’t believe this is happening. Let’s just play 90 minutes from now.
Where did that come from? Atleti looked comfortable, repelling everything Barca were throwing into the area but Messi clipped a pass into the France winger and although he shaped to shoot with his right, he switched into onto his left and via Hernandez’s deflection it skims under Oblak and over the line. Four minutes of stoppage time.
Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele slots home their equaliser. Photograph: Paul Hanna/Reuters
Dembele is congratulated on his goal by Luis Suarez. Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images
87 min: Filipe Luis was carded, presumably for dissent, and Messi’s free-kick is deflected over by the wall.
86 min: Messi on the charge and he’s held back by Rodri, around 30 yards from goal, bang in the centre. Rodri wanted to make the foul further out but such is the strength of the Argentine, he’s set up a shooting opportunity from the set-piece.
85 min: More attacking moves from Valverde with Malcom replacing Vidal. That’s Messi, Suarez, Dembele and Malcom on the field.
83 min: Unlike Messi, he had the power but not the direction and it flew over Ter Stegen’s crossbar.
82 min: Why couldn’t we have had that goal earlier? It’s livened up with Barca now chasing the game and its opened the field up. Atletico now with a free-kick in a dangerous area and perfect for Griezmann’s left foot.
82 min: It was on target but weakly struck and comfortable for Oblak.
81 min: Down the other end, Suarez wins a free-kick as he’s clattered by Hernandez. Mess over the ball, slightly to the right of the D and around 30 yards out. He’s shooting.
79 min: It was a really, really good header, with Costa off balance and falling backwards. He got enough power that, even though it was in Ter Stegen’s vicinity, the Barca keeper couldn’t parry it away. Ousmane Dembele is now on for Arthur and Angel Correa replaces Costa for the hosts.
Holy moly! Not only an attempt on target but a ruddy goal! Costa bent his run around the Barca defence and paired himself up with Rafinha at the far post. It was an unfair matchup and Griezmann’s delivery was whipped in for him to convert with his head.
Diego Costa of Atletico Madrid heads the ball past Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegan to give the home side the lead. Photograph: Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Costa celebrates his goal. Photograph: Paul White/AP
77 min: Bit of a rash foul by Vidal there, needlessly barging into Rodri, and Atleti win another free-kick on the touchline in the final third, which is headed away for a corner.
76 min: No penalty. This game doesn’t deserve a goal, anyway.
75 min: Gil Manzano is mobbed and Atletico want a penalty for a handball by Vidal. The Chilean went to head Griezmann’s free-kick and it struck his arm. Over to VAR.
74 min: It seemed almost impossible but, remarkably, this game has gone even flatter. The fans have gone a little quieter as well. Atletico do have a free-kick on the touchline, mind. Maybe something…
72 min: Umtiti and Costa have both been booked for some touchy-feely activity in which the Atletico striker successfully wound up his marker.
Should this stay the same, and there is absolutely no reason to suggest otherwise, then Sevilla would have the chance to claim top spot against Real Valladolid tomorrow.
Barcelona +16 25pts Atletico +8 24pts Sevilla +10 23pts Alaves +4 23pts Espanyol +6 21pts Real Madrid +1 20pts
68 min: That came to nothing.
67 min: Another corner to Barca as Messi wriggles into space beyond Koke and plays it wide to Suarez. The Uruguayan’s clipped cross is then headed behind.
63 min: Strange sort of game for Atletico, really, because when you look at Barca’s passing numbers, the hosts haven’t won the ball back that much … at all, if anything (just five interceptions all match). Vidal – 100%, Busquets – 91.9%, Arthur – 92.9%, Roberto – 92.9%. But then the Catalans have just been very, very passive in possession. So who’s to blame? Meanwhile, Vitolo has replaced Lemar for Atletico. More energy down the flank, perhaps?
60 min: Half a chance for Atletico! Griezmann won the ball and accelerated past Arthur, the Barca midfield doing well to stick with him, but managed to advance to the byline and pull the ball back towards Costa. However, Pique got ahead of his former Spain teammate to make the interception. Phew! Some action.
59 min: Rafinha was clipped by Rodri after he played a pass into Messi.
58 min: Messi didn’t go short this time, swinging it but Savic headed clear, unchallenged. Ousmane Dembele is warming up and could even replace half-time substitute Rafinha who appears to be in some discomfort.
57 min: Barca have a corner as Suarez chased a loose down the right channel, forcing Hernandez to put the ball out.
Barcelona’s Luis Suarez and Atletico Madrid’s Montenegrin Stefan Savic tussle for the ball. Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images
News, via ESPN’s Samuel Marsden, is that Roberto has a hamstring injury… yes, this constitutes major news right now…
Samuel Marsden(@samuelmarsden)
Sergi Roberto has a hamstring injury, Barça say. Tests tomorrow.
53 min: He’s playing deeper but Vidal has been more impactful in this half. He’s added some energy, drawn a couple of fouls and there is a quickness in possession when he gets on the ball.
50 min: Rodri gives the ball away cheaply on the edge of his area, giving Barca the ball in a good possession but despite Messi having half a sniff on the turn, Atleti regroup as Atleti always do and clear their lines. Lots of little, niggly fouls in this half. Players having some choice words with each other.
49 min: Semedo slightly fortunate to dodge a booking there for a blatant dive after getting into a good position 1v1 with Filipe Luis.
48 min: Yellow card for Griezmann as he slides in on Vidal, wins the ball, but then catches the Chilean on the follow-though.
Barcelona’s Arturo Vidal grimices. Photograph: Paul White/AP
46 min: Rafinha is definitely the more advanced of the Barca midfield. Just to continue the conversation on from the end of the first half. I guess, from Simeone’s point of view, with no Godin or Gimenez he can’t be as comfortable in defending Barcelona’s when they attack in transition. So to eliminate that threat you just commit as few forward as possible. From that perspective, it’s certainly worked. Anyway, Messi sends it a free-kick it’s half-cleared to Arthur who half-volleys a return shot but its blocked and cleared.
Rafinha tried to get on at the end of the first-half but is now permitted to replace Sergi Roberto. He is a more attacking option and should allow Arturo Vidal to play deeper. Could be a big 45 minutes for him, given he’s spent most of this season either semi-indulging or deflecting transfer links with a return to Inter.
Via OptaJose, this has been the first time in La Liga this season there hasn’t been a shot on goal in a half and the two “attempts” is the fewest of any match so far. Just look at that central area with those average positions…
OptaJose(@OptaJose)
0/2 – Esta ha sido la primera vez que no se ha realizado ni un solo remate a portería en un primer tiempo de un partido de LaLiga 18/19 y también en el que menos remates se han intentado (2). Igualdad. pic.twitter.com/v3deq8hoAp
Some half-time reading for you from the Premier League as Tottenham beat Chelsea 3-1 at Wembley…
That, ladies and gentlemen, was an absolute stinker. Not even any particular tactical nuances to discuss. Just Barca sort of doing well in keeping the ball and Atletico sort of doing well in keeping them narrow. There was a telling moment in the first-half when Lemar had the ball and space to run into but the Atleti winger checked back in a reserved manner and played a simple pass. Fair play, neither side wants to lose but does 0-0 at home to one of your title rivals constitute a good result? I dunno, perhaps Simeone is playing for time and the last 15 minutes if he can sufficiently frustrate Barca. But, the thing is, they haven’t been particularly hurried or bothered when their on the ball. From Valverde’s point of view, maybe Dembele could make a difference to try and stretch the play? That said, Atleti are so tight and so deep, there’s isn’t a lot to work with. Onwards and upwards.
45 min: Pique winces and receives treatment as he’s half-caught by Costa in making an clearance. No real bother.
44 min: There was a moment of drama as Pique’s miscued clearance went 180 degrees but, thankfully, was straight at Ter Stegen. That’s as “good” as its got. Roberto has gone off down the tunnel. Rafinha getting stripped off.
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen saves Gerard Pique’s blushes. Photograph: Paul White/AP
44 min: Rafinha is warming up with Sergi Roberto looking in some discomfort as he collided with Koke in a 50-50. Perfectly fair challenge, mind.
43 min: It’s kind of worrying that events in Buenos Aires are more interesting than this game … and there hasn’t even been a match yet. John Brewin has the latest for you…
41 min: A lot of buildup and a lot of jeers with Messi preparing to take the free-kick. He lines it up, runs towards the ball and then clears the crossbar. A waste.
39 min: Don’t get me wrong, Atletico aren’t exactly testing them but credit to Valverde who has got this team well-drilled this week at retreating into shape whenever the hosts try to counter. Hernandez has been booked for high feet on Messi, 25 yards out. Not a foul and ultimately not a yellow.
Atletico Madrid players track back as Barcelona’s Lionel Messi runs with the ball. Photograph: Paul White/AP
37 min: Suarez, somewhat fortuitously, wins a corner as his heavy touch deflects off Savic.
Eleven Sports (@ElevenSports_UK)
