Valverde acknowledges Barca 'closer' to title with Atletico win

Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 2-0 on Saturday and Ernesto Valverde recognises the title is within touching distance.

Ernesto Valverde acknowledged Barcelona are closing in on the league title after beating second-placed Atletico Madrid 2-0 at Camp Nou on Saturday .

Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi scored the goals in the final five minutes, as Barca eventually made the most of its numerical advantage following Diego Costa's first-half sending off for dissent.

Atletico effectively needed to win to keep its dwindling LaLiga title hopes alive, but defeat leaves it 11 points adrift, making a comeback unlikely with seven matches to go.

Head coach Valverde can feel Barca closing in, though he is eager to nip any complacency in the bud.

"It's three very important points," he told reporters. "We are closer to the title, but we still have it [to win].

"The work has to be finished. Today [Saturday] was a fundamental match because they can mean a lot.

"We are very happy because our opponent was second in the table and a huge team who has fought to the end with one less man."

Valverde also paid tribute to Suarez after he scored his seventh goal in nine matches across all competitions, a run that has come on the back of a difficult spell.

"He [Suarez] always ends up being decisive," Valverde added. "He's a permanent headache for the opponents and you don't know when he's going to appear.

"He was fresh, with a spark, and he had a great goalkeeper [Jan Oblak] in front of him."