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Atlético Madrid fought back from behind to secure a last-minute 2-1 win over Barcelona on Saturday to take the lead in La Liga.

Pedri gave the Catalans the lead but second-half goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Alexander Sorloth helped Diego Simeone’s side move three points clear at the top of the table after playing a game less than Barca.

Hansi Flick’s side dominated at the Olympic Stadium, but Atletico held on and secured their 12th consecutive win in all competitions with Sorloth’s stoppage-time goal.

Barcelona started the season in excellent form but have stumbled in recent weeks, winning just one of their last seven league games.

This was their third consecutive home defeat in the league, their worst such run since 1987, and it was also Simeone’s first away triumph against Barcelona in La Liga.

“It’s inexplicable… we had the game in our hands and didn’t take advantage of it,” said Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi.

Champions Real Madrid will face Sevilla on Sunday and can overtake Barcelona with a win.

“It’s really a tough defeat. If you don’t finish a game, that can happen,” Pedri told Movistar.

“We now have the break to restart mentally and physically.”

Barcelona, ​​missing injured teenage star Lamine Yamal, controlled the first half and suffocated Atletico with their pressing.

“We will fight for everything, we will fight for every point to win this (league),” emphasized Flick, who was satisfied with the performance despite the result.

“That’s how we want to play in the future, so we’ll take that and carry it into next year.”

Barcelona took the lead after 30 minutes, with Pedri being both the architect and the goalscorer.

The Spanish midfielder rushed forward with the ball and fed Gavi, who tried to turn and accidentally pushed the ball back to the onrushing Pedri, who entered the penalty area and pushed past Oblak.

Barcelona should have doubled their lead at the start of the second half when Fermin Lopez was denied by Oblak’s legs before Raphinha hit the crossbar.

Pedri played a delicate pass over the top to the Brazilian winger and Raphinha flicked the ball over the goalkeeper, but it hit the woodwork on the way down.

A few moments later, Atlético equalized when Marc Casado delivered an errant backheel to De Paul on the edge of the penalty area.

The in-form Argentine midfielder scored his third goal in his last four league games with a powerful low shot into the bottom corner.

In the final stages both teams tried to grab the winning goal, with La Liga’s top scorer Robert Lewandowski missing from point-blank range despite Ferran Torres being ruled offside in the build-up.

At the other end, Inaki Pena made a great save to keep Pablo Barrios at bay, while Oblak parried from Raphinha after another great Pedri ball.

The outstanding Canaries midfielder had the chance to score himself, but Oblak once again proved too hard to beat and his efforts did not go unrewarded.

In the middle of stoppage time, Nahuel Molina crossed to regular super substitute Sorloth, who fired into the goal and ensured Atlético are at the top of the list for Christmas.

“We have never won in Barcelona since I arrived, now we have finally done it,” Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak told Movistar.

“We suffered a lot, we started badly… but we are in very good form, we resisted and after conceding a goal we knew how to keep it up without conceding the second.”

This season, Atletico have scored in the 90th minute or longer in 13 games across all competitions, with substitutes and squad strength being crucial.

Sorloth has only started seven games in the league for Atlético, but is the team’s top scorer with eight goals.

“I spoke to (Sorloth) three or four weeks ago and explained to him the idea I had… his 20, 30 or 40 minutes are extraordinary,” Simeone said.

Earlier, Athletic Bilbao beat Osasuna 2-1 to consolidate their lead over fourth place.

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