A direct free-kick goal by Lionel Messi in the 26th minute meant a key victory for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid (1-0), which extends their lead to eight points. Check out the memes from the match.
It was a balanced match, with few chances, and a conservative approach in the beginning from Atletico. Their attempt to react after halftime, by bringing in more offensive players such as Angel Correa or Kevin Gameiro, did not translate into goals.
Therefore, the advantage of Ernesto Valverde's team, although not definitive, becomes very important with eleven matchdays remaining: eight points plus the head-to-head victory in their favor.
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid - lineups
Barcelona: Marc ter Stegen, Gerard Piqué, Jordi Alba, Samuel Umtiti, Andrés Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Philippe Coutinho, Sergi Roberto, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez.
Atletico Madrid: J. Oblak, Filipe Luis, D. Godin, S. Vrsaljko, J. Gimenez, Gabi, Saul, Koke, T. Partey, Diego Costa, Antoine Griezmann.