Atletico Madrid unleash late hell to sink Barcelona

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Barcelona were stunned into a 4-3 loss away to Atletico Madrid.

New Delhi: Goals, cards, refereeing controversies - as befits a clash of the titans at the Vicente Calderon, there was never a dull moment.

Barcelona were stunned into a 4-3 loss away to Atletico Madrid despite twice going ahead, their lead at the top of the Primera Division being cut to a mere four points. Two goals in the last five minutes, though, ensured that the Rojiblancos were to delight their home crowd and keep their Champions League challenge alive.

The match was preceded with a minute's silence for little Diego Alcala, a nine-year-old club junior player who was fatally injured when a bench collapsed on him last week. This was impeccably observed.

Hostilities then began with Barcelona kicking off, but it was the rojiblancos who were to come so close to drawing first blood. Maxi Rodriguez freed Kun Aguero down the right, but the younger of the two Argentines saw himself denied by a save from Victor Valdes.

Leo Franco had to be alert to deny a weak Samuel Eto'o effort at the other, but the ball came into the net for the first time thanks to Atletico. Maxi's deflected shot landed at the feet of John Heitinga, who netted from close range, but he was adjudged - controversially - to be offside.

Atleti were furious, but they were soon to grow even angrier as Barcelona took the lead. It was a moment of genius from Thierry Henry, who got on the end of a short pass from Eto'o before rifling a 20-yard curler past the helpless Leo Franco.

Leo Messi made it 2-0 on the half hour mark with a move no less impressive, but different: seizing on the ball in midfield, he rounded first Paulo Assuncao and then Pablo Ibanez before coolly rolling the ball under Franco.

Atleti were floundering, but one man took matters into his own hands. Diego Forlan did the honours with a 25-yard strike right into the top corner of the net to reduce the deficit.

The chances kept on coming, though, albeit mostly for the Blaugrana. Atleti, particularly Heitinga and Pablo Ibanez, were finding defending suitably difficult, although Barcelona were far from innocent in those respects, either.

Messi could have added a third before the interval, but he hit an effort just wide seconds before the break.

Right after the restart referee Gonzalez Vazquez found his cards, booking Heitinga and Raul Garcia in quick succession, and things almost got worse for the Rojiblancos as Samuel Eto'o was played through on goal by Eidur Gudjohnsen in a rare moment of creativity for the Icelander. Eto'o, though, couldn't do his teammate's play justice as he blasted a shot way, way off target.

Kun Aguero showed him how it was done at the other end with the equaliser, Raul Garcia flicking on a kick-out from Franco for Aguero to stride through the defence and level.

It was well and truly game on as the cards kept flying, especially in the midst of a midfield battle in which Barca were struggling, but it was clear that the goalmouth was going to be the site of most of the action.

Thierry Henry proved that with a predatory finish after being teed up by Eidur Gudjohnsen in a manouevre more notable for the dreadful implementation of the offside trap by Atleti, who allowed the attackers through scot-free.

But just six minutes later Diego Forlan equalised from the spot after Thierry Henry was adjudged to have brought down Florent Sinama-Pongolle - another controversial decision.

With six goals and no sign of the game slowing down, the fans had had their money's worth, but it was up to the star of the show, Kun Aguero, to well and truly round off the night after Maniche played him through on the edge of the area to eventually beat Puyol and then roll the ball in at the far post.

Xavi, who had a difficult game, almost set up Henry at the far post for yet another equaliser, but Atleti had done enough to pick up an historic three points after one of the most entertaining games of the season so far.