La Liga: Atlético de Madrid 0-1 Barcelona – Ousmane Dembele with winner

Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half winner as Barcelona moved three points clear at the top of La Liga as they closed in on victory against Atletico Madrid.

Atlético was able to equalize in added time but Antoine Griezmann’s shot was cleared by Ronald Araujo on the line.

Both teams ended up with 10 men after Stefan Savic and Ferran Torres were sent off for a brawl.

The two former Manchester City players grabbed the ball, ended up on the grass and received direct red cards.

Xavi’s side made the most of Real Madrid’s loss to Villarreal on Saturday, opening a cushion at the top after losing just once in the league this season.

Diego Simeone was leading Atlético by a La Liga record 418 games, the most consecutive games in charge of a single club in Spain’s top flight.

But the Argentine saw his team fall to a fifth defeat in 16 games and any hope of winning the title seems to have been extinguished with Atlético in fifth place, 14 points behind the leaders.

Dembélé’s goal was the culmination of some skilful play by the team as Pedri’s flurry of acceleration fed Gavi, who laid the ball down for the France winger to finish into the bottom corner.

A second goal could have followed quickly, but Pedri’s elevated effort from a blind José Giménez rear pass was deflected by Jan Oblak.

Atlético were chasing play in the second half as they looked to salvage a point, but Griezmann’s rising shot was deflected magnificently over the crossbar by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

When he got past the Germany goalkeeper in the 94th minute, Araujo moved into just the right spot to clear the line.

Torres had a goal disallowed for offside early in the second period and, perhaps frustrated, became embroiled in a brawl with Savic in the final minutes that saw the pair sent off.