Barcelona went three points clear at the top of LaLiga on Sunday with a 1-0 away win at Atletico Madrid, thanks to a first-half goal from Ousmane Dembele.
Rivals and second-placed Real Madrid suffered a 2-1 defeat at Villarreal on Saturday, giving Barca the chance to seize the advantage in the league after 16 rounds.
Barcelona dominated the early exchanges, pressuring Atletico high up in their half and forcing them into mistakes.
The visitors got the only goal of the game after 22 minutes when Dembele was played clear inside the box and sent the ball into the bottom right corner.
Two minutes later, Pedri managed to get into the Atletico box with keeper Jan Oblak to beat, only for Nahuel Molina to fly in and block the shot at the last moment.
The hosts started to wake up at the end of the half, taking over possession and sending Barcelona into defensive mode.
Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Steigen made a crucial save three minutes before first-half stoppage time when he tipped over an Antoine Griezmann shot at full stretch.
Two minutes into stoppage time, Barca's Ferran Torres and Atletico's Stefan Savic were sent off for violent conduct.
Atletico very nearly grabbed a late point four minutes into stoppage time when Griezmann fired in a shot that was blocked on the line as the visitors held on for the narrowest of wins.
Roma snatch last-gasp draw with Milan
A goal in stoppage time by striker Tammy Abraham helped AS Roma snatch a 2-2 draw at AC Milan on Sunday as Stefano Pioli's men's hopes of catching up to Serie A leaders Napoli suffered a blow.
It was a soggy night at the San Siro, creating slippery conditions that affected the play.
"It’s a huge pity to emerge from this game with only a point, that’s for sure. After a game like this, we tell the players that we must continue playing like this, but that matches end at the 95th minute, and you have to stay focused throughout," manager Pioli told DAZN.
"If you concede two goals on set plays, where we knew our opponents were very strong, that means more focus was needed."
The result left Milan third in the standings with 37 points after 17 games, level with second-placed Juventus on points and seven behind Napoli. Roma are in sixth place with 31 points.
Milan had the first real chance of the game after 29 minutes when Brahim Diaz got the ball just outside the box but his shot was tipped away by keeper Rui Patricio.
Diaz's team mate Pierre Kalulu then gave his side the lead when he headed in from a corner on the half-hour mark.
Roma's most significant chance in the first half came three minutes before stoppage time when Nicola Zalewski took a shot from the edge of the box but it flew just wide of the post.
Milan kept up the pressure in the second half, with Theo Hernandez shooting from outside the box seven minutes after the break but Patricio was able to block.
Patricio also saved a close-range header from Olivier Giroud in the 54th minute.
Tommaso Pobega doubled Milan's lead in the 77th minute when he was played into space in the box and smashed the ball into the lower right corner with one touch.
Roger Ibanez pulled one back for Roma three minutes before stoppage time when he headed in a corner, and Abraham completed the late comeback six minutes later when he managed to send in a rebound from inside the box.
"It is a bitter sensation, obviously. We are not looking at the gap from Napoli, just our performances and knowing we need to do better to keep up the pace. We should’ve done better and now must improve in the next games," Pioli said.
Napoli maintained their place at the top of the Serie A standings after brushing aside Sampdoria 2-0. Luciano Spalletti's side have 44 points from 17 games.
Fourth-placed Inter Milan's title ambitions took a hit on Saturday after an own goal in the dying seconds allowed lowly Monza to snatch a 2-2 draw. Inter trail Napoli by 10 points.
Juventus extended their Serie A winning streak to eight matches with a 1-0 victory over Udinese, while fifth-placed Lazio were held to a 2-2 draw by Empoli.
