Lamine Yamal’s shot took a slight deflection off an Atletico Madrid defender as it flew into the back of the net in the 92nd minute at the Estadio Metropolitano.
That didn’t matter. The goal made it 3-2 to Barcelona and lifted them to the top of La Liga — and in doing so put them in control of Spain’s title race.
As soon as the ball hit the net, Yamal whipped off his shirt and went sprinting towards the Barcelona fans in one of the corners of the stadium. All of his team-mates followed him, those on the pitch and those on the bench. And there was Hansi Flick, waving his fists as he ran down the touchline.
This had been one of the biggest tests of Barcelona’s season so far, away to Diego Simeone’s Atletico, and Flick’s team had fought back from 2-0 down with 20 minutes to play to win 4-2 (Ferran Torres added an even later goal in the eighth minute of added time). Yamal’s goal was the moment that won it.
(Oscar Del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images)
When the referee blew the final whistle, Yamal ran towards his cousin and friends in the stands, climbing over the advertising hoardings to give them a hug.
These were the celebrations of a team that understood how important this match could prove to be in the title race, particularly given Atletico had been the team that had caused this young ‘Baby Barca’ team the most problems under Flick.
But now Barcelona are top of the table with 60 points from 27 games and a much better goal difference than Real Madrid, who are level on points but have played 28 games. Atletico are in third, four points back on 56 from 28 games.
Despite playing well against Atletico in their league meeting at Montjuic in December and in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final, Barcelona took a long time to get going here. Atletico went 2-0 up, through Julian Alvarez on the stroke of half-time and then Alexander Sorloth in the 70th minute. Barcelona were struggling in midfield, where Pedri has been outstanding in recent weeks, and they were failing to get the ball to Yamal.
When Sorloth scored the second goal, it felt like deja vu for Barcelona. It had been the Norway striker who scored Atletico’s 96th-minute winner against Barcelona in December and also the equaliser in the 4-4 Copa del Rey match only a few weeks ago.
Barcelona had been superior in both those matches but ended them without a victory. This time, Flick warned his team that they needed to be focused and that lapses in concentration against teams such as Atletico would be punished.
Alvarez did just that at the very end of the first half and Sorloth increased Atletico’s lead despite Barcelona players protesting that the ball had touched Rodrigo De Paul’s hand in the build-up. Flick’s team used their frustration as fuel for their comeback.
Immediately after Sorloth’s goal, and while Barcelona’s centre-back Inigo Martinez was still gesturing angrily at De Paul about a challenge earlier in the move, Robert Lewandowski reduced the deficit. Two of the most experienced players in this young Barca team, Lewandowski and Martinez, took the reins as they sought a quick response in such a vital moment in their season.
Flick has learnt to strike the right balance between youth and experience and both were key to this comeback — as was keeping faith that they could turn the match around. They kept faith when they were down to 10 men early in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie against Benfica and they did so again in Madrid on Sunday night.
The 17-year-old Yamal, as he has done so often this season, played a pivotal role. Pedri and Raphinha have been outstanding in 2024-25, but Yamal is this team’s star. He had more attacking involvements than any other player on the pitch and he helped out the Barcelona right-back Jules Kounde in defensive scenarios, too.
Ferran Torres’ header made it 2-2 with 12 minutes to go and then, two minutes into added time, it was typical Yamal. He picked up the ball wide on the right, dribbled past a couple of Atletico players and shot goalwards from outside of the penalty area.
Yamal’s game is about far more than goals given the way he inspires those around him and the havoc he causes with his dribbling, but there have been some who have criticised him for not scoring enough in La Liga. With six goals and 11 assists in 24 matches in Spain’s top flight this season, they are perhaps forgetting he is still only 17.
The Spain forward has never doubted his ability, or that he could have a big impact in big games. “I was sure that if I scored it would be in important matches,” he told DAZN after the win.
Atletico’s Alvarez praised Yamal in the build-up to the game, too. “He’s very young, but today he’s one of the best players in the world. What he does and the quality he has at such a young age is admirable. It’s always great to play against the best, and for the fans, it’s a luxury to have players like him,” the forward told EFE.
Yamal didn’t look comfortable in the first half, but in the second he took charge, helping the team with his dribbling, his confidence coursing through the team. He has scored in back to back games — against Benfica and Atletico — and is stepping up in the decisive part of the season.
Barcelona will take a lot from this game, having picked up three vital points despite struggling to test Atletico for much of the match. They are the first team to win at the Metropolitano in the league this season and they did it despite Atletico being pumped up by their controversial Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid a few days before.
With 11 games to play in La Liga, Flick’s side are in control of their own destiny.
(Top photo: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
