João Félix defeats Atlético de Madrid | Soccer | Sports | EUROtoday

An ideal objective from João Félix, the Barça striker on mortgage from Atlético, determined an exciting match in Montjuïc. Individually, collectively and tactically, Barcelona was higher than a crimson and white crew that arrived late to the occasion, extra intimidating within the press room than on the sphere, which curiously recorded the worst entry within the League. Barça boasted of vanity, braver and extra enthusiastic about soccer than ever, able to struggle for the League after placing the Champions League away. The extra demanding they’re, the higher the response from the Blaugrana, recovered after defeating Porto, stuffed with pleasure in opposition to Atlético.

The Barcelona followers closed a match with a demanding protection that their forwards have been unable to complete, missing forcefulness after providing an excellent hour of play, way more so than Atlético’s final twenty minutes. Simeone’s crew doesn’t know how one can win on Barça’s area. It’s been 17 video games since Niño Torres’ targets in 2006.

Although the match started with a setback resulting from Iñigo Martínez’s harm within the warm-up, Barça camped within the Atlético space. The Blaugrana got here up with an opportunity by the minute after Raphinha and Lewandowski repeatedly did not hit the shot in opposition to Oblak. The particular person stress labored very effectively, the ball supply was diverse and the midfielders filtered good passes cheered on by Xavi. Atlético held on as greatest they may, stretched in protection and with no extra aid in assault than the deployment of Molina, who knocked down the wall with Llorente and compelled Araujo to take the ball below the objective, Peña defeated.

The Blaugrana lastly discovered Lewandowski and the rojiblancos could not discover Griezmann. The match in opposition to Porto had helped Xavi discover the line-up – solely Christensen changed the injured Iñigo Martínez – and likewise with a sport concept that had the facet defended by Riquelme as its focus. Koundé attacked higher as a winger whereas Araujo acted as a central defender and Raphinha didn’t cease in search of Pedri and Lewandowski. The Pole’s three pictures, nevertheless, didn’t hit the goal, fortunately for Atlético. The formation that went so effectively in Rotterdam in opposition to PSV Eindhoven was not in tune in Montjuïc.

Atlético’s vulnerability was evident in João Félix’s objective. Lucky of their space, Simeone’s crew was portrayed in a transition as dizzying because it was exact by Barça. Peña performed for Pedri, the Tenerife native turned and directed the play for Raphinha and the Brazilian’s move was obtained by João Félix earlier than Molina’s condescension. The Portuguese held on and ended his profession with a delicate contact on Oblak’s departure. A objective that the striker celebrated standing up and with out regard to the Montjuïc followers. Oblak then saved João Félix’s second objective with an important save after an help from Gündogan.

The play ended with a stomp with out penalty from Hermoso to João Félix. The referee didn’t blow his whistle or get out of the way in which when he crossed paths with Gündogan. The Blaugrana have been irrepressible and Atlético eagerly reached the break with three playing cards, one objective in opposition to after receiving a number of alternatives and with no different participant than Llorente. A Barça crew that was so fluid and intense had not been seen in a very long time, very good when it got here to urgent, effectively managed by Pedri, Gündogan and De Jong. The scenario compelled Simeone to take drastic measures: Giménez, Riquelme and Molina have been all of the sudden changed by Correa, Azpilicueta and Lino.

The change of sides and the entry of a ahead for a central defender induced Griezmann to delay his place to take part extra within the sport, decisive as it’s within the first contact, unstitched as Atlético was. The crew teamed up higher, had extra presence and arrival, and relentlessly focused Peña. The adjustments made the crimson and white crew greater and the Blaugrana relaxed after Raphinha completed off Oblak’s left put up. Simeone performed with 5 recent gamers whereas Xavi tried to increase possession and lengthy assaults based mostly on the soccer linked by the De Jong-Pedri-Gündogan trio.

Griezmann lacking

Atlético’s cost was fixed whereas Xavi modified his forwards and entrusted himself to his defenders and Peña, very good in a direct free kick taken by Griezmann and in a one-on-one with Correa. The fouls occurred on the entrance of the Barça space. Although it was changing into more and more troublesome for the Blaugrana to have the ball, that they had a transparent counterattack that Lewandowski failed to finish whereas the crimson and whites requested for a penalty for a problem by Koundé on Lino.

Griezmann didn’t seem and as an alternative Peña stretched out to crown the wonderful collective model of Barcelona, ​​which is dedicated to preventing for the League whereas ready for Girona. The victory in opposition to Porto has definitely marked a turning level for Barça.

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