Barcelona beat Atletico 4-2 to go fourth in La Liga

Dani Alves scored and provided an assist for a Jordi Alba wonder-goal before being sent off in Barcelona’s dramatic victory over Atletico Madrid.

Atletico took an early lead when Luis Suarez squared the ball to Yannick Carrasco in the box and he slotted home from eight yards out, but Barcelona drew level two minutes later when Dani Alves dinked a ball across the penalty area to his opposite full back and Alba smashed a volley home into the far corner.

The Azulgrana took a commanding lead through Gavi’s header from debutant Adama Traore’s cross and Ronald Araujo’s low strike after Gerard Pique had headed against the bar just before the break. Four minutes later the lead was doubled when Gavi pulled a ball back from the touchline which Alves drove home.

Suarez gave Atletico a glimmer of hope heading home from close range after Jose Giminez headed back across goal a corner from Carrasco, whose calf shortly after was the victim of a needless stamp from Dani Alves which saw Barcelona play the last quarter of the game with ten men.

Barcelona assistant coach Oscar Hernandez, Xavi’s brother, was also dismissed as the match got fiery on and off the field but despite their possession in the closing stages Atletico did not really threaten to emulate their recent late comeback against Valencia.

The win lifts Barcelona up to fourth, leap-frogging Atletico.