Barca’s first home defeat reduces its lead at the top

Atletico Madrid threw the Spanish title race wide open on Sunday when a Fernando Torres double consigned Barcelona to a 2-0 defeat, their fi...

Atletico Madrid threw the Spanish title race wide open on Sunday when a Fernando Torres double consigned Barcelona to a 2-0 defeat, their first home loss of the season. The 20-year-old striker got Atletico off to a flying start at the Nou Camp when he guided home in the first minute after a stunning back-heeled assist from playmaker Ariel Ibagaza.

World Player of the Year Ronaldinho fluffed a 70th-minute penalty for Barcelona before Torres completed a shock victory when he blasted home a spot kick deep into injury time. Atletico’s victory meant that Real Madrid, who beat Espanyol 4-0 on Saturday, are four points behind Barcelona in the standings with the two sides yet to meet at the Bernabeu.

The race for the title has effectively become a two-horse affair with Real nine points clear of champions Valencia, who were held to a 3-3 draw by struggling Real Sociedad on Saturday.

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Earlier Seville moved into fourth after a 3-0 win over Levante with striker Julio Baptista’s superbly struck 25-metre free kick five minutes from time the goal of the match. Villarreal climbed to fifth, one point behind, with their fifth win in a row after they came from a goal down to beat 10-man Racing Santander 2-1 at home.

Striker Diego Forlan scored his 14th of the season when he slid in at the far post early in the second half and playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme snatched the winner from the penalty spot.

Atletico, who had won only one previous match away from home all season, got off to an explosive start thanks to some great skill from Ibagaza.

With his back to goal the Argentine midfielder hooked a pass over the Defence with his heel to give Torres a free run on goal and the striker outpaced defender Carles Puyol before threading the ball past Valdes inside the far post.

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Barca threw players forward in search of an equaliser, but were thwarted by the watertight Atletico Defence.

Reuters