La Liga: Barcelona one point away from leaders Atletico

La Liga title race has been thrown open after Barcelona scored a late winner against Real Valladolid on Monday, to put them within a point of leaders Atletico Madrid.

Real Madrid are not off the pace as they stood three points from Atletico and two from Barcelona.

Football buffs believe that next weekend’s Clasico between Madrid and Barcelona will be decisive in defining the league leaders.

Barca looked set for a damaging stalemate at Camp Nou after Atletico’s defeat by Sevilla on Saturday but Valladolid had Oscar Plano harshly sent off with 12 minutes left and Dembele snatched a 1-0 victory, with a volley in the 90th minute.

If Ronald Koeman’s men win at Valdebebas, they will claim first place for 24 hours at least, before a depleted and deflated Atletico play away at Real Betis on Sunday.

They will have to play better after being frustrated by a determined Valladolid side, with Lionel Messi delivering some firm words to his team-mates in the tunnel at half-time.

“We have to step it up a gear, we have to play with more rhythm,” Messi said. “If not it’s going to get complicated for us.”