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Two of Spain's most renowned teams locked horns on Sunday night as Barcelona welcomed Atletico Madrid to the Camp Nou for their La Liga matchday 22 clash.
The Blaugrana needed to be at their best to get the better of the reigning Spanish champions. Thankfully for the Camp Nou faithful, the hosts were on song as they picked up an entertaining 4-2 win over Los Rojiblancos.
Desperate to bag the full three points, Atletico started the game on the front foot and broke the deadlock as early as the eighth minute through Yannick Carrasco. Their lead, however, lasted only a couple of minutes, as Jordi Alba swiftly and surely restored parity for the hosts.
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Spanish starlet Gavi then popped up with Barca’s second goal in the 21st minute before Ronald Araujo doubled their advantage two minutes before the half-time break.
Four minutes into the second half, Dani Alves scored Barca’s fourth goal of the night, giving them a comfortable three-goal lead. Former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez then pulled one back for the visitors in the 58th minute, setting up an exciting final half-hour at the Camp Nou.
Although Alves’ mindless 69th-minute red card gave the Madrid side a lifeline, they couldn't take advantage and add to their tally.
The 4-2 win saw the Catalan outfit leapfrog Atletico into fourth spot in the La Liga standings. The match also marked Barcelona’s sixth game without defeat in the Spanish top-flight.
On that note, here are five Blaugrana players who put in a commendable shift in their much-needed win over Atletico on Sunday night:
#5 Ronald Araujo
Ronald Araujo started alongside Gerard Pique at the heart of Barcelona's defense on Sunday. He was surefooted at the back and rarely made a mistake.
The Uruguayan cut out the passing lanes with ease and never let the opposition get the better of him.
He also proved to be a menace in the Atletico Madrid box and scored the Blaugrana’s third goal.
Latching on to Ferran Torres’ rebound, Araujo converted from point-blank range to put his side in the driving seat.
#4 Ferran Torres
Former Manchester City man Ferran Torres has settled in nicely in Catalonia. He has earned Xavi’s trust over the last month and has become one of the first names on the team sheet.
His performance on Sunday was not groundbreaking, but he surely impressed the Barca fans with his intelligent passing and crafty movement.
Torres was granted a free role in the attack and made full use of his freedom. He slid into little pockets of space and gave Atletico defenders more than they could handle.
He made 35 accurate passes, registered a key pass and saw his looping first-half header come off the crossbar. Thankfully, Araujo was there to stab it home from close range.
#3 Jordi Alba
Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba produced one of his best performances of the season to help his side to a 4-2 win over Atletico Madrid.
The Spaniard, who is known for his inventive forward runs, scored his side’s first goal just a couple of minutes after Atletico took the lead.
In the 10th minute, right-back Dani Alves found Alba in space down the left flank and delivered an inch-perfect cross. Instead of taking a touch, the left-back volleyed the ball first time, scoring one of La Liga's best goals of the season in the process.
The Spaniard continued to make inroads into the final third and provided two key passes over the course of the match. He also made one interception, attempted a tackle, and was dribbled past only once.
#2 Gavi
17-year-old Barcelona midfielder Gavi is one of the most highly-rated teenagers in the world. The academy graduate excels as a central midfielder but is also comfortable playing further up the pitch.
On Sunday, he started the match on the left wing and made a tangible impact on the outcome of the game.
The teen sensation was spot on with his distribution and helped his side control the tempo of the match. He also proved his positional awareness by scoring a header to give Barca the lead in the 21st minute.
The Spain international latched on to Adama Traore’s high-cross from the byline and headed it towards goal. His effort took a deflection on its way to nestling into the back of the net.
Gavi also won six duels, drew two fouls, and registered 36 accurate passes.
#1 Adama Traore
Barcelona, who signed Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the final week of January, had the opportunity to show them to the world.
While the former Arsenal striker was not deemed ready to start the game, Traore featured in Xavi's starting XI.
The La Masia graduate was exceptional with the ball at his feet. He used his pace and footwork to perfection to make Atletico left-back Mario Hermoso’s life miserable.
The Spanish international went past Hermoso without breaking a sweat in the 21st minute and provided an inch-perfect cross for Gavi to head home. Encouraged by his assist, Traore kept coming at Atletico, not allowing them a moment of peace.
Despite getting the better of Hermoso with ease, Traore rarely tried to have a go at goal all by himself. His gameplay was unselfish and helped his teammates get into the game.
Xavi would probably instruct him to shoot more but he can’t help but be impressed with the winger’s explosive debut.
