Suarez rescues Barcelona

MADRID. — Luis Suarez struck late to snatch a 1-1 draw for Barcelona at Atletico Madrid on Saturday, but their lead over Real Madrid at the top of the Spanish La Liga soccer table was cut to five points after Cristiano Ronaldo inspired the champions to a 2-1 win at Getafe.

Suarez saved Barcelona’s unbeaten La Liga record this season by salvaging a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in a match laced with political tension amid Catalonia’s drive for independence. Saul Niguez’s spectacular strike had given Atletico an early advantage.

However, Barca’s dominance for large spells paid off when Suarez finally got the better of the outstanding Jan Oblak to level nine minutes from time.

“Everyone knows Atletico defend very well and have a great goalkeeper, but we did enough to believe we deserved more in the second half,” said Suarez.

A share of the points allows Real Madrid to move up to second, five points behind Barca, as Cristiano Ronaldo struck an 85th-minute winner — his first league goal of the season — to grind out a hard-fought 2-1 win for the European champions at Getafe.

Atletico move up to third, but remain six points behind the leaders.

“It was a great game between two teams with very different characteristics,” said Atletico boss Diego Simeone.

A backdrop of Spanish flags and chants of “Viva Espana” met Barca on their first visit to the Spanish capital since the Catalan independence referendum on October 1.