Jordi Alba, Gavi, Ronald Araujo and Dani Alves scores for Barcelona as the Catalan club overtakes Atletico Madrid to fourth spot in the La Liga standings.
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Barcelona defeated Atletico Madrid 4-2 in the La Liga fixture at Camp Nou on Sunday. Dani Alves scored and was sent off and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made his Barca debut in an action-packed game. Yannick Carrasco gave Atletico Madrid the lead before Jordi Alba equalised with a sensational volley. Gavi put Barca’s nose in front and Ronald Araujo extended the home side’s lead. After the break, Alves netted Barca’s fourth of the night before Luis Suarez reduced the deficit for the visitors. Meanwhile, 20 minutes before time, Alves was sent off for a bad foul.
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FULL TIME!!!! #BarçaAtleti pic.twitter.com/AqxeinMJvU
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 6, 2022
The result ended Barca’s five-game winless streak against Atletico in all competitions and allowed the Catalan club to overtake Diego Simeone’s slide for fourth spot in the league standings.
Xavi handed starts to three of Barca’s four winter signings, although two are in their second spells. 38-year-old Alves played for the Catalan club between 2008 and 2016 and has returned on a free transfer. Adama Traore is on loan from Wolves , having played four times for Barca in 2013 and 2014.
Atleti took the lead inside the opening eight minutes. Koke played a brilliant through ball to release Suarez on the right, and the Uruguayan delivered a low cross for Carrasco to slot home from inside the box.
Barca responded immediately as they leveled the score within two minutes of the goal. Alves crossed the ball for left-back Alba, who volleyed the ball past Jan Oblak to make the score 1-1. And then, the hosts took the lead in the 21st minute. Traore used his pace to good effect to get past Mario Hermoso and delivered a perfect cross from the byline for Gavi to head home at the far post.
Two minutes before the break, Gerard Pique’s header from Alves’ free-kick hit the crossbar and January signing Ferran Torres’ miscued scissor-kick fell to Araujo who made no mistake as he fired home from close range to double the lead.
In the 49th minute, Gavi’s low cross from the left flank found Alves just inside the box and the Brazilian smashed home to make the score 4-1 for Barca. At the other end, Suarez scored on his return to Camp Nou after joining Atleti. In the 58th minute, Rodrigo de Paul’s corner from the right flank was initially headed by Jose Gimenez and Suarez headed home from close range to halve the deficit.
There was still time for more drama as Alves stood on the back of Carrasco’s leg and the 38-year-old was sent off. The Brazilian full back became the first Barca player since 2004-05 to score, assist and be sent off in a La Liga game.
Aubameyang had little impact on his first Barca game since a deadline-day move from Arsenal because of the red card shortly after he came on.
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