With a thrilling last-minute goal at Sevilla’s ground, Atletico Madrid have taken a small but significant step back into the La Liga title race.
As the match neared its end, Atletico’s title hopes seemed all but gone. Then, almost out of nowhere, Pablo Barrios produced a moment of magic that felt like a breath of life. After the dramatic 2-1 win, manager Diego Simeone expressed renewed hope, insisting his team won’t give up the fight for the title.
The La Liga clash on Sunday saw Atletico edge past Sevilla 2-1 on the road.
Sevilla took the lead in the 7th minute with a stunning long-range strike from Lucien Agoumé. Atletico responded in the 25th minute, with Julián Álvarez converting from the penalty spot to level the score.
It would take another 68 minutes before the decisive goal arrived. In the third minute of stoppage time, Barrios picked up the ball near the halfway line, surged forward, and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot from outside the box that rocketed into the net.
Had Atletico lost, they would’ve been effectively out of the title race. Even now, their chances remain slim—but they’re still in it, and this victory has given them a glimmer of hope.
With eight games left, Barcelona sit on 67 points, Real Madrid on 63, and Atletico on 60.
Simeone, known for his fighting spirit, was pleased to see that same character reflected in his team.
“I’ve always said we need to focus on ourselves,” said the Atletico coach.
“We need to keep growing as a team, to keep pushing forward. Is it difficult? Of course. Will we suffer? Definitely. But we’ll keep fighting, keep trying—we’ll fight until the end, because that’s who we are.”
“Barrios’ goal proves we’re doing things well. The boys are trying, and they’re giving it their all.”
The win comes as a huge relief after a frustrating few weeks for Atletico. They had fallen behind in the La Liga title race, were knocked out of the Copa del Rey semi-finals, and eliminated just before the Champions League quarter-finals.
“Given what we’ve been through in recent weeks, this was an important win,” Simeone added.
“Even after Sevilla scored early, we bounced back. After equalizing, we played well and created several chances. The last-minute goal was fantastic and brought us immense joy, because we kept going and never gave up.”
