The last-gasp victory sends Atletico third in the Champions League table, with the top eight sides all avoiding an extra knockout round.

Diego Simeone's side climbed one point clear of champions Real Madrid and six ahead of third-placed Barcelona at the halfway mark in the Spanish league season.

Last season, around this time, there was a surprise package in Girona in the top three of LaLiga. However, a year later, the Spanish league has returned to the status quo, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid -- the three giants of Spain -- occupying the top three spots on the table at the end of 2024.

Barca have now gone three games without a LaLiga win having picked up five points out of a possible 21, suffering defeats by Leganes and Las Palmas in their previous two home games. They are three points behind Atletico having played a game more.

Pedri sent the Catalans ahead but second-half goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Alexander Sorloth helped Diego Simeone's side move three points clear at the top of the table, having played one match fewer than Barca.

La Liga leaders Barcelona stumbled 1-0 at home against Leganes on Sunday as they suffered another blow in the Spanish title race.

Diego Simeone's side have been in fine form and continued their winning run across all competitions with a deserved home triumph, pulling provisionally level with league leaders Barcelona.

The Italian champions remain undefeated in the competition this season and sit fifth on 10 points at the midway point of the new league phase format.

"He's working well, he's training well... it's important for his growth. As long as there is humility, the heart always responds," Simeone told Movistar, while giving credit to Nahuel Molina's pass that led to Giuliano's goal.

Even a single point would have flattered Diego Simeone's side but they took all three when the Argentina international, on as a substitute, finished Antoine Griezmann's cross at the back post.

The European top-flight has switched from a group stage to a league phase where 36 teams play eight matches each, with the top eight in the table progressing directly to the next round, while the next 16 teams enter a two-legged playoff.

"It's amazing, to get a last-minute goal like this is always fantastic and it's good to give the fans something to cheer about," Atletico's former Leipzig striker Alexander Sorloth told DAZN.

Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid shared an entertaining 2-2 draw with Villarreal as they began their La Liga campaign on Monday.

After a summer dominated by Spain, with La Roja storming to Euro 2024 triumph and their youngsters claiming gold at the Paris Olympics, the focus now turns to Spain once again as LaLiga kicks off on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Argentina international's exit marks a record sale price for City, eclipsing the 50 million pounds Chelsea paid for winger Raheem Sterling in 2022.

The 24-year-old cost City just £14 million when he signed from River Plate in January 2022 and his since enjoyed a meteoric rise, helping Argentina to World Cup and Copa America glory, as well as winning two Premier League titles and the Champions League at club level.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, on the eve of his side's final LaLiga match against Real Sociedad, said they fell short of their objectives this season and that title winners Real Madrid were the best team in the world.

Antoine Griezmann secured Champions League qualification for Atletico Madrid with a hat-trick in a 3-0 triumph at Getafe on Wednesday in La Liga.

Dortmund overturned a 2-1 deficit from their quarter-final first leg against Atletico to win 5-4 on aggregate and will now renew their acquaintance with PSG, who beat Barcelona 6-4 over two legs to book their semi-final berth.

Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Diego Simeone's men moved to within four points of their opponents and pulled five clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao in the race for Champions League qualification.