Fermin Lopez struck twice to help Barcelona come from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 on Sunday and move three points clear at the top of La Liga. The Spanish champions lead second place Real Madrid, who beat Valencia 3-0 on Saturday, by three points with Atletico third and a further two points off the pace. The 23-year-old Spain international netted the winner after 66 minutes when Lamine Yamal slipped him in, helping Barca triumph despite not being at their best.
Giuliano Simeone fired Atletico ahead in a high-octane start, before Lopez pulled Barca level shortly before the interval at the Metropolitano stadium.
Last season Atletico defeated Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals and also in the Copa del Rey, but the Catalans earned some measure of revenge here.
“In the second half especially we did a great job today, it’s not easy to win here. “It got tricky for us in the first half with their goal, but I think we knew how to come back and we had a great match. Alvarez, who tried and failed to force a move from Atletico to Barca in the summer, rounded goalkeeper Joan Garcia but could not finish off the chance as the defence blocked his route to goal. Early in the second half Alvarez lobbed a good chance over the crossbar when running in on goal. Yamal played a clever pass through Atletico’s defence and Lopez kept his cool to beat Oblak.
It was his seventh league goal in 11 top flight appearances this season.
