Atletico 1-1 Barcelona: Dembele saves a point at the Wanda Metropolitano

Atletico 1-1 Barcelona: Dembele saves a point at the Wanda Metropolitano

La alegría del equipo azulgrana al final del partido. Dembélé rescató un punto
La alegría del equipo azulgrana al final del partido. Dembélé rescató un punto | sport

In a disappointing game in Madrid, the Frenchman cancelled out Costa's opener

Ousmane Dembele arrived late to earn Barcelona a point against Atletico Madrid on Saturday. 

MATCH FACTS
Liga

ATM

1 ________________ 1

FCB

LINE UP

Atlético de Madrid

Oblak, Arlas, Savic, L.Hernández, Filipe Luis, Koke, Rodrigo, Saúl, Lemar (Vitolo, 63'), Griezmann, Diego Costa (Correa, 79')

FC Barcelona

Ter Stegen, Semedo, Piqué, Umtiti, Alba, Sergi Roberto (Rafinha, 45'), Busquets, Arturo Vidal (Malcom 83'), Arthur (Demélé 79'), Messi, Luis Suárez

Árbitro

Gil Manzano (Colegio Extremeño), auxiliado por Nevado Rodríguez y Martínez Nicolás en las bandas.

Tarjetas

Minuto 28: Amarilla a Busquets por juego peligroso sobre L.Hernández. Minuto 38: Amarilla a L.Hernández por falta sobre Messi. Minuto 49: Amarilla a Griezmann por entrar duro sobre Arturo Vidal. Minuto 70: Amarilla a Diego Costa y Umtiti por encararse. Minuto 85: Amarillas a Rodri por una dura entrada y a Filipe Luis por protestar. Minuto 92: Amarilla a Rafinha por una dura entrada.

Goles

Minuto 76. 1-0. Saque de esquina del Atlético que remata Diego Costa en el segundo palo. Minuto89: Dembélé entra en el área y con la pierna izquierda cruza el balón, que acaba entrando en la meta de Oblak.

Incidencias

Partido correspondiente a la 13ª jornada de la Liga 2018-19 disputado en el Wanda Metropolitano ante 66.204 espectadores.

Atletico looked set to win the game thanks to Diego Costa's 77th-minute equaliser but substitute Dembele fired home in the last minute to earn Barca a share of the spoils and keep them top of La Liga (Sevilla could leapfrog them on Sunday). 

Dembele was not even in the squad for the last game before the international break, a 4-3 loss to Real Betis. Ernesto Valverde left him out after he missed training the Thursday before the game. 

However, he was back in the 18 against Atletico and when Costa scored Valverde turned to him. He didn't disappoint. Within minutes, his pace caused problems. Driving forward, he linked with Lionel Messi before Luis Suarez won a free kick in a dangerous area. 

He then grabbed the draw for Barça, tucking home calmly inside the box after good work from Messi. 

It's not the first time he's got Barça out of jail: he's also come to the rescue late in the day against Sevilla (Super Cup), Real Valladolid and Rayo Vallecano, to name three. 

Valverde will hope that this is a turning point and that the France international is now talked about because of what he does on the pitch -- not what his life's like off it. 

Costa's opener and Dembele's introduction gave life to what had been a low-key affair between two of La Liga's top three. 

There were few moments of note in the first half -- other than an injury to Sergi Roberto (hamstring -- and Costa's back-post header was the first shot on target. The Spain international shook off Rafinha. Marc-Andre ter Stegen may feel he could have done better, though. 

A quiet game then came alive as Barça were forced to attack. Dembele and Malcom came on, Messi saw a free kick easily held by Jan Oblak and the clock ticked down. 

In the final minute of the game, Messi rode a challenge and found Dembele on the right side of the penalty box. The 21-year-old was relaxed, took a touch and buried from 10 yards.