João Félix killed off Atlético Madrid, and he could not have enjoyed it any more, extracting revenge on the club that still owns him and to which he hopes never to return. The Portuguese, on loan at Barcelona, scored the only goal as they defeated Atlético at Montjuic, securing a vital victory that came laced with vindication, then he produced a celebration that showed just what it meant to him. Leaping on to the advertising board, he stood arms wide. So now what?
Currently, he emerges as the victor. It may have been just one game, but it was a highly anticipated one and it ended in his favor, relieving all the built-up tension on the field. If he was not well-liked at Atlético – and the evidence at Montjuic strongly suggests that he was not – he will now be even less popular. However, in Catalonia on this particular night, he was embraced like never before and it is not hard to see why. This was a significant victory for a team that was under a lot of pressure, and a moment of release for everyone involved. As he left the field with 15 minutes remaining, he passed Diego Simeone without acknowledging him, but it is likely that his true feelings were different. He then shared an embrace with his coach, Xavi, and applauded the fans who stood to give him a standing ovation.
Félix had been the standout player of the night. He controlled the lead-up to this match, which, despite its importance as a showdown between top teams in third and fourth place, had turned into a focus on him. There were exchanges of words and verbal jabs, as messages were delivered with not-so-subtle meanings. Antoine Griezmann remarked that the 24-year-old had not shown enough consistency to truly make his mark during his four years at Atlético; Simeone pointed out that anyone can have a good game. Xavi interpreted this as a subtle insult and suggested it should serve as motivation.
It happened, and it was quite a game. There was a clear intensity to match the skill on display. The unresolved issues from Madrid continue to linger. They also add fuel to the fire. Their reunion was not a warm embrace between old friends, but rather a clash between enemies, given the chance to settle old scores. The Portuguese player relished proving his worth and also, perhaps, causing damage to his relationship with his former team. Despite not being desired before, there’s a possibility he may have to return, though now even less desired than before.
He experienced a highlight after 30 minutes, swiftly making his way past the Atlético defense and evading José María Giménez before skillfully lifting the ball over Jan Oblak. The build-up was excellent, with Jules Koundé and Raphinha attacking Atlético to set him up. He had never scored against Real Madrid or Barcelona, but with his first attempt, he managed to score against Atlético. This was his first goal in nine league games, and if he had to pick just one, it would be this one.
Thirty minutes had passed and Barcelona was in the lead. It shouldn’t have taken that long, as they had a strong start with four chances created in the first 15 minutes. The first opportunity was for Raphinha within the first minute, followed by a headed effort that went wide soon after. However, Robert Lewandowski was the most at fault, which has been happening frequently lately. He missed a volley and then accidentally hit himself in the face with a header, resulting in both physical and emotional pain.
At the other end, Marcos Llorente couldn’t quite get a shot off, with Frenkie de Jong arriving to stop him just in time and then made another chance for Griezmann. Again, it was De Jong, superb throughout, who rescued them, diving in to block this time. From the corner, Atlético had the ball in the net, but the whistle had already gone. Félix was down, Giménez standing over him, having a go. It wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last.
The Portuguese player stood back up and almost scored a second goal right before half-time. However, Oblak made an impressive save from a close distance and Mario Hermoso accidentally tripped him as he took the shot. Simeone was not pleased with the team’s performance and made three substitutions during half-time. One of the players substituted was César Azpilicueta, who received a yellow card within two minutes of being on the field for a challenge on Félix. The next time they came into contact, Simeone accused Félix of diving and the forward responded with some words. It wasn’t a friendly exchange like “hey boss, good to see you again.”
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He found more pleasure in this situation than they did, provoking and irritating Barcelona while they continued to dominate the game. Pedri was growing in his role and Raphinha’s shot soon hit the post. However, Atlético quickly countered and Morata, Llorente, and Lino worked together to set up Griezmann for a shot that hit the side of the net. Shortly after, Llorente’s quick and low pass created a perfect opportunity for Morata to score from close range, but Iñaki Peña made the save. Atlético showed signs of life.
They could have also tied the game when Memphis Depay’s incredible free-kick was met with an equally impressive save, the ball rebounding off Peña’s hand and the intersection of the goal post and crossbar. Barcelona faced another opportunity immediately after; this time Griezmann took the shot and hit the wall. And in the final moment, Atlético had a chance to score, but Ángel Correa missed his shot directly at Peña from a short distance.
Griezmann, the other former player of the night, did not have success against his old team. Can anyone have a standout performance? Maybe, but this time it was Félix who did.
Source: theguardian.com
