Barcelona Free Falls Overtaken By Duo Madrid, What's The Problem?

Barcelona were thrown into third place in the La Liga standings to close 2024 (Instagram/@fcbarcelona).

JAKARTA - Atletico Madrid trailed 10 points behind Barcelona in early November 2024. However, closing this year with the 18th week of La Liga 2024/2025, Los Rojiblancos immediately topped the standings.

They are now three points ahead of the Blaugrana who were thrown to third place. Not to mention the fact that Atletico have one game left more than Barcelona.

Diego Simeone's troop victory over Barcelona at the Olimpic Lluis Companys Stadium, Sunday, December 22, 2024, early morning WIB, triggered the coup.

After trailing 0-1 in the first half through Pedri's goal, Atletico got up. goals from Rodrigo De PAUL (60') and Alexander Sorloth (90+6') ensured they earned three points from the opponent's headquarters.

This achievement made Los Rojiblancos have now won 12 consecutive matches in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Barca is slumping, falling free. You see, Real Madrid, who are now attached to Atletico after winning 4-2 over Sevilla on the same day.

The Madrid duo are now only one point away from 18 matches that have been played.

Barcelona are experiencing a negative trend at the end of this year. They have even lost two consecutive league games.

After picking up 33 points from a possible 36 points at the start of the season, Hansi Flick's men slumped and picked up just six of the 21 maximum points.

There are various theories about their defeat. Their high and very successful defense line has been in the spotlight. Atletico were unlucky here until Sorloth's goal, which took advantage of the defense.

De Paul brought the ball forward after Barcelona lost the ball. The Blaugrana defense went forward to trap offside, but they did not take into account the movement of wing-back Nahuel Molina, who received De Paul's pass and provided a cross to Sorloth, which led to a second goal.

Fatigue is another theory. As many as 10 players have recorded more than 1,500 minutes of playing this season.

Raphinha told ESPN this week that fatigue had been a factor for Barcelona to win one in their last seven league games.

However, they didn't seem very tired of fighting Atletico in the games they started with intensity and dominated for a long time.

It gave Flick, who underwent a second ban on the sidelines against Atletico, little hope that there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Losing points often happens when they don't expect it. They lost at home to Las Palmas and Leganes themselves.

Now it is feared that they have lost three times in a row at the Olimpic Lluis Companys Stadium. In fact, they have handled well against the bigger teams. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund have been defeated.

Atletico was originally predicted to join the list if Barcelona's finish was better.

There were many chances through Gavi, Inigo Martinez, and Fermin Lopez, but none of them led to goals.

Pedri also had other opportunities besides his one-goal donation. He fired a shot that was still soaring and Raphinha hit the crossbar.

It all happened before De Paul's equalizer, which was initiated by Marc Casada when the midfielder failed to block Julian Alvarez's cross.

At 1-1, the next opportunities came from substitutes Dani Olmo, Raphinha, and Pedri, but either the target missed or Jan Oblak did perform brilliantly.

As a result, Barcelona ended the match with 19 shots, almost four times that of Atletico.

"Obviously we have a great goalkeeper. Jan is very important," said Atletico coach Diego Simeone, after the match.

Atletico's chances are very few and rare. They didn't release a single shot in the first half.

De Paul's goal was a goal from a shot on target first. Pablo Barrios did have a good chance, but was thwarted by Inaki Pena's brilliant save.

However, during the six-minute injury time, Barcelona was actually in the upper hand to win. In fact, that's not the case.

"We played brilliant matches. It was incredible how we played. This is how I want to see my team. Our style, the way we want to play, is great. I'm proud."

"It also shows that Atletico is an experienced team. They are just waiting for this. For them, that's enough," Flick said.

Flick's comments further emphasize the greatness of Atletico's concentration. He had spoken before the match about how dangerous Los Rojiblancos were at the end of the match.

Atletico have now scored 13 goals after the 80th minute to win or draw in all competitions. The record includes a winning goal in the 94th minute from Antoine Griezmann as they rise from behind to beat Sevilla 4-3 just two weeks ago.

Doing this at Barcelona headquarters, it feels different. This is their first win at home to Barcelona since 2006 in La Liga, or the first under Simeone in a domestic competition.

It was not surprising that the bench players scattered to the field after Sorloth's winning goal.

Atletico have now won seven games in a row in La Liga and will end 2024 as the top team of the standings.

Simeone had twice brought them to the title before, beating Barcelona and Real Madrid in the process. The question is now, will that happen again?

"I will not take that path, not at all," Simeone said shyly when asked about his team's chances of winning the league this season.