Fermín López makes Simeone wait for the record Aragonés still shares
Atlético had the better half-hour; Fermín López had the goals. Diego Simeone stays level with Luis Aragonés on 344 LaLiga wins.
Julián Álvarez was through on Joan García in the opening minutes and did not beat him; from the corner that followed, Marc Pubill headed against the bar, and only Giuliano Simeone's first-time finish from Álvarez's low cross in the 10th minute went in. Barcelona won 2-1.
Atlético Madrid
- 1Juan Musso
- 2Jorge Domínguez
- 3Alexander Sørloth
- 4Daniel Martinez
- 5Jonathan David
- 6Romeo Hueso Moya
- 7Rodrigo Mendoza
- 8Robin Le Normand
- 9Johnny Cardoso
- 10Morten Hjulmand
- 11Arnau Ortiz
- 12Ademola Lookman
Barcelona
- 1Gabriel Jesus
- 2Gavi
- 3Alejandro Balde
- 4Ebrima Tunkara
- 5Álex Campos
- 6Wojciech Szczesny
- 7Hamza Abdelkarim
- 8Karim Adeyemi
- 9Eric García
- 10Dominik Livakovic
- 11Frenkie de Jong
- 12Andreas Christensen
His first came with the half nearly gone. Pedri drove into the area, the ball reached Fermín, and his left foot put it past Jan Oblak. Barcelona had hit the bar themselves in the opening minutes; this time the ball went in, and a half Atlético had run for thirty minutes ended level.
Hansi Flick had started Brian Fariñas, a midfielder, at right-back, and took him off at half-time. Frenkie de Jong went there instead, and Atlético's attacks after the break did not have the edge of the first half-hour. Álvarez, who had scored four times in nine games against Barcelona, lobbed a clear chance over the bar.
In the 66th minute Lamine Yamal's through ball put Fermín one-on-one with Oblak, and Fermín finished first time with his right foot.
It was Barcelona's fifth league win running at the Metropolitano, and the second visit running at which Giuliano Simeone scored first and Barcelona won 2-1. Their run of at least three goals in every away league game stopped at five; their run of away wins did not, and they have now won all six. Atlético's winning run in the league is over.
Barcelona go into the international break on 33 points, three clear of Real Madrid and five clear of Atlético. Diego Simeone goes into it on 344 LaLiga wins, level with Aragonés, with the one that would make the record his alone still to be won.
