MADRID, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Atletico Madrid ends the year as leader in La Liga after Alexander Sorloth's left-foot finish in the sixth minute of injury time saw it win 2-1 away to FC Barcelona.
Barca outplayed Atletico in the first half and deservedly led through Pedri's 30th-minute effort and it was also on top in the second, with Raphinha hitting the bar, before Rodrigo De Paul leveled in the 60th minute with Atletico's first shot on target.
Robert Lewandowski missed a golden chance, and goalkeeper Jan Oblak was forced into two brilliant saves to stop Raphinha and Pedri restoring Barca's lead.
Barca was unwilling to accept a draw and that saw it caught out on the break, with Nahuel Molina crossing for the unmarked Sorloth to score a hugely significant winner.
With the win, Atletico Madrid overtook Barcelona on top of the standings with 41 points, three ahead of Barca with one game in hand.
Real Madrid also moved above Barcelona and end the year in second place after a 4-2 win at home to Sevilla.
Madrid came out of the blocks much faster than Sevilla and went ahead in the 10th minute through Kylian Mbappe's excellent goal from the edge of the area, with Federico Valverde doubling the lead 10 minutes later with another long-range effort.
Rodrygo made it 3-0 after a good pullback from the right in the 34th minute and although Isaac Romero pulled a goal back a minute later, Brahim Diaz assured the win eight minutes after halftime.
Dodi Lukebakio netted Sevilla's second goal in the closing minutes.
Thierno Barry scored a hat-trick as Villarreal twice came from behind to win 5-2 away to Leganes, who ended up with nine men after Oscar Rodriguez and Jorge Saenz were sent off.
Seydouba Cisse and Dani Raba twice put the home side ahead, but after Barry's hat-trick, injury time goals from Gerard Moreno and Pau Cabanes rounded off Villarreal's win.
Real Betis missed a chance to close in on the top-six when it was held to a 1-1 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano.
Things looked good for Betis in an even game when Isco put it ahead from the penalty spot after 37 minutes, but Isi Palazon collected a loose ball in the 51st minute and leveled with a stunning left-foot shot.
Valencia remains deep in relegation trouble after being held to a 2-2 draw at home to Alaves, with Dani Gomez's scrambled finish in the 98th minute saving a point against the Basque side, who led through Carlos Martin's close-range goal in the seventh minute.
Luis Rioja hit a penalty against his former club to draw Valencia level, but Alaves looked set to win after Joan Jordan's 88th-minute spot kick, only for Gomez to net a late equalizer during 11 minutes of added time. ■
