Robert Lewandowski scored a dramatic late goal as FC Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 on Saturday to move seven points clear at the top of La Liga.
Earlier, second-placed Real Madrid suffered a 2-1 defeat against Mallorca, giving Barcelona the chance to extend their lead—which they did with a hard-fought win at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Atletico took the lead in the first half through Giuliano Simeone. However, Marcus Rashford equalized for Barcelona shortly after.
The game turned just before halftime when Atletico midfielder Nico Gonzalez was sent off, forcing the home side to play with 10 men.
Despite strong defending, Atletico could not hold on. In the 87th minute, Lewandowski scored the winner by guiding the ball in with his shoulder from close range.
Barcelona defender Eric Garcia said the team knew the importance of the match after Real Madrid’s loss and was happy to take a big step toward the title.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick rested Lewandowski at the start, using a different attacking setup, while Atletico boss Diego Simeone rotated his squad ahead of upcoming matches.
The match also marked one of three upcoming clashes between the two sides, who will face each other again in the Champions League quarter-finals in the coming weeks.