Joao Felix’s excellent dinked end earned Barcelona an important 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday within the La Liga title race. The Portuguese ahead, on mortgage at Barca from Atletico, made no secret of his pleasure to flee the Spanish capital this summer time and made his mum or dad membership pay on the Olympic Stadium. Felix was criticised by some Atletico gamers forward of the sport and Barca coach Xavi Hernandez known as on him to make use of these phrases as inspiration, which he duly did.
The ahead’s objective allowed Barca to reclaim third place from Atletico, now trailing leaders Real Madrid and second place Girona by 4 factors. “He made the difference for the team again, he gave everything, working hard, stealing the ball back, I am very happy for him,” Xavi instructed reporters.
“I told him to be calm, this extra motivation sometimes speeds you up and you cross the line.”
Xavi hailed his gamers’ efficiency as an entire. “The team had personality, we played very well today — maybe it’s our best game of the season, a complete one, I would say.
“It’s a really constructive signal of what we will and may do in each recreation – that is what Barca ought to be.”
Atletico have not won away against the champions in La Liga since 2006, a run now stretching to 18 matches, but arrived thinking this could be the time to snap that streak. Since crumbling to a defeat in the Clasico by Real Madrid at the end of October, Barcelona have struggled for form and confidence.
Barcelona started well, carving out chances and Felix broke the deadlock after 28 minutes, taking a brilliant touch to ride Nahuel Molina’s challenge and then dinking the ball over Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Felix celebrated with arms aloft, standing on the advertising hoardings in front of the angry visiting supporters, while Rojiblancos coach Diego Simeone appeared disgruntled as he flashed up on the big screens.
The 24-year-old forward, a club record signing at 126 million euros (137 million dollars) in 2019, never settled in the capital and did not click with Simeone’s management and playing style.
“It was spontaneous… within the warmth of the sport and it was like a aid, for all the things I lived by way of this summer time,” Felix told Movistar about his celebration.
“Every week I’m talked about, whether or not for good or dangerous, I do my job, with out taking a look at what they are saying or assume.”
Payback
Perhaps not coincidentally, Axel Witsel was soon booked for hacking Felix to the ground shortly after. Felix came close to a second with a prodded effort from Ilkay Gundogan’s cut-back, but this time Oblak denied him.
Gundogan impressed in midfield alongside fit-again duo Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, as Barcelona controlled the game. Raphinha clipped the post at the start of the second half to get Barcelona fans out of their seats.
Despite their high-calibre opponents, the attendance fell short of 35,000 and was the club’s poorest this season, with supporters perhaps chastened by the colder winter evenings and the late kick-off. Atletico improved in the second half but not by enough to force an equaliser.
Talisman Antoine Griezmann worked hard but could not find the net against his old employers — he has not netted in 14 games against Barca for the Rojiblancos. Memphis Depay, another ex-Barcelona player, came closest for Atletico with a free-kick tipped over by Inaki Pena, between the sticks for the hosts in place of the hurt Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
“They began higher, that they had extra character with the ball,” admitted Simeone.
“The workforce improved and had the probabilities to equalise.”
Robert Lewandowski should have wrapped up Barcelona’s victory but pulled an effort wide late on – he only has three goals in his last 10 games for the club across all competitions. Atletico, fourth, trail Barca by three points and the top two by seven.
“The concept was to go for the sport and I do not know what occurred,” Atletico goalkeeper Oblak told Movistar.
“Nobody was good within the first half, no one needed the ball, no one needed to play.”
Earlier winless backside facet Almeria had been held 0-0 at dwelling by 10-man Real Betis, seventh, on Sunday. Struggling Sevilla, fifteenth, drew 1-1 with Villarreal and haven’t received in 10 matches underneath new coach Diego Alonso between La Liga and the Champions League.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
