Barcelona players celebrate Ivan Rakitic’s goal (Twitter/FCBarcelona)
Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic scored his first goal of the season to give his side a 1-0 win at home to Athletic Bilbao on Thursday, averting a second successive draw which would have further dented the champions’ La Liga title defence.
Barca had slipped off the top of the table after Friday’s 0-0 draw at Sevilla and put in another sluggish display at an empty Camp Nou, as the star-studded front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann failed to sparkle.
They finally found a way through in the 71st minute when Messi slipped the ball into the path of Croatia midfielder Rakitic, who had only been on the pitch for six minutes and kept his nerve to beat Athletic’s in-form goalkeeper Unai Simon.
The win took Barca to the top of the standings on 68 points although Real Madrid, on 65, will reclaim their lead due to their superior head-to-head record if they beat Real Mallorca at home on Wednesday.
“It was very tough for us to take control of the game, Athletic are a very tough side and did not make it easy for us but I’m delighted to score my first goal of the season,” Rakitic said.
“Thirty one league games is a very long time to wait and I’m angry it has taken so long but I’m happy I was able to help the team.”
Athletic have beaten Barca in the league and Copa del Rey this season and produced a disciplined display as well as crafting a couple of clear chances of their own.
The Shot. pic.twitter.com/XKkU437z4W
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 23, 2020
Striker Inaki Williams should have done better when he got a clear sight of goal but lost his footing as he shaped to shoot, while defender Yeray Alvarez came close with a powerful header.
Griezmann was thwarted by Simon midway through the second half and the 120-million-euro forward was taken off soon after, looking glum after another unconvincing display.
He was replaced by 17-year-old Ansu Fati who almost had an instant impact, heading just over the bar.
Barca were suddenly playing with more freedom and Messi’s quick-thinking and Rakitic’s cool finish finally broke down Athletic’s defence
The Catalans will be without midfielder Sergio Busquets for their next match at Celta Vigo on Saturday after he earned a suspension, leaving them with no natural holding midfielders as Frenkie de Jong is injured.
Atletico go third in La Liga with nervy win over Valladolid
Atletico Madrid scraped a 1-0 win at home to Real Valladolid on Saturday in La Liga thanks to a late header from substitute Vitolo to move into third in the standings.
Vitolo cashed in from poor positioning from Valladolid’s debutant goalkeeper Jose Antonio Caro to head the ball just over the goalline. Although it was headed away by a defender, a VAR review ratified the linesman’s decision to award the goal.
The victory took Atletico on to 52 points after 30 games, level with fourth-placed Sevilla, but gave them a four-point cushion over fifth-placed Getafe to further boost their chances of a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.
Valladolid are 15th on 33 points, seven points above the relegation zone.
“Valladolid are a very hard-working and organised team and were very tight at the back and in the middle and it was very hard to find any gaps,” said match winner Vitolo.
“In the end we had to get the goal from a set play but we’ve earned three vital points.”
📸 #LevanteAtleti 👇
🔗 https://t.co/NwROPBMUn5— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) June 23, 2020
Playing for the first time without fans at the Wanda Metropolitano, Atletico lacked the fluidity they showed in their 5-0 thrashing at Osasuna last Wednesday and were fortunate not to go behind as Valladolid impressed in the first half.
Visiting midfielder Waldo Rubio unleashed a vicious long distance strike early in the game to force an outstanding save from Atleti keeper Jan Oblak, while Brazilian Matheus Fernandes narrowly missed the target following a swift counterattack.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone was unable to engage in his usual habit of whipping the Metropolitano crowd into a frenzy as fans are still not allowed into stadiums for safety reasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But the coach still frantically paced along the touchline to bark orders at his players and he wildly gesticulated at the referee when Vitolo’s header looked to have crossed the line.
Simeone had started without Diego Costa but turned to the combative striker midway through the second half, one of five attacking changes he made to try and break down the resolute visitors.
Costa missed two good chances to score but helped cause the chaos which led to the breakthrough, out-jumping Caro and glancing the ball across for Vitolo to head across the line.