A great and refined FC Barcelona overcome Atletico Madrid with a 3-0 scoreline. Away from home and with a lot of pressure on them, Xavi’s team left no stone unturned. Ultimately, Barcelona take this victory and finally climb to second place in La Liga.
Robert Lewandowski, without a doubt, rose to the occasion in this game. All three goals were a direct result of his contributions as either unreal shots or exemplary assists. A strong overall display from Barcelona ultimately ended up seeing them take away all three points.
Here is how the Barcelona players fared against Atletico Madrid.
Player Ratings:
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen: 8.5
The German goalkeeper stood on business against Atletico Madrid. While he had some great moments both on and off the ball, his two back-to-back saves in a row to deny Diego Simeone’s side from getting a goal were undeniably his highlight of the match.
Hector Fort: 7.0
A bit more frustrating to watch compared to his teammates in defense at times. However, even Hector Fort had his moments to shine during the game. Especially given the fact that he was being deployed in a position that is not exactly his strongest, Fort did manage well enough.
Pau Cubarsi: 8.0
It seems that no opponent is too big for young Pau Cubarsi, as he continues to plow through them all. His range of passing, defensive awareness, and ability to cling to his attackers like glue, all combine to make him as effective as he is even at such a young age.
Ronald Araujo: 8.0
Alongside Pau Cubarsi, the Uruguayan juggernaut that is Ronald Araujo was impenetrable. The star defender for Barcelona, just as he did against Napoli and Victor Osimhen, kept Atletico Madrid as quiet as possible. Great outing for him as well.
Jules Kounde: 8.0
Tirelessly helping out in the front and in the back, Jules Kounde was a real dilemma for Diego Simeone’s side. His physical prowess, passing range, and good connection with his wingers constantly helped Barcelona advance the ball and stay in possession.
Ilkay Gundogan: 7.5
The German midfielder once again commandeered the Barcelona midfield with excellence. His passes were executed with perfection, and he always knew which player to rotate the pass to. As a free arrival from Manchester City, Ilkay Gundogan has been a revelation for Barcelona.
Sergi Roberto: 7.5
Just as he did in the game against Napoli, Sergi Roberto was once again incisive. His passes felt lethal, his runs were efficient, and his movement could not be faulted. Solid performance once again from the Barcelona captain.
Fermin Lopez: 8.5
Once again, the dynamic dog in the midfield of Barcelona strikes again. Doing his best to ensure that Gavi’s absence is not felt, he remains tenacious and relentless. Moreover, he even managed to time one of his usual runs well enough to convert a cross from Lewandowski to score Barça’s third.
Joao Felix: 8.0
Joao Felix simply loves to play against Atletico Madrid. He scored against them in the Montjuic Stadium, and now he’s done it again in the Metropolitano. Constantly drawing fouls and getting on the nerves of the opponent, this was a vintage display from the Portuguese star.
Robert Lewandowski: 9.5
Arguably one of his best performances all season, and that remains true even apart from just his goal contributions. His passing, positioning, awareness, and senses were all top-notch against Atletico. The chances he created, including both his assists, were sublime. However, his goal itself was simply supernatural, and exactly the type of goal expected from an elite number 9.
Raphinha: 8.0
During the first 60 minutes of the game that he played, Raphinha was quite the danger man for Barcelona. His runs, constant cuts inside, and ability to attack relentlessly ended up being constant headaches for Atletico. His assist to Robert Lewandowski as well was a showcase of brilliant passing technique.
Substitutes:
Lamine Yamal: 6.5
Replacing Raphinha, Lamine Yamal was able to bring his own unique elements to the game. Some really incisive line-breaking passes allowed Barcelona to create some late danger for Atletico Madrid to deal with.
Oriol Romeu: 6.0
Helped stabilize the Barcelona game after he came on. Solid cameo for him.
Vitor Roque: 6.0
His disruptive nature gave Atletico Madrid reasons to worry late in the game. Made some promising runs as well.
Inigo Martinez: N/A
Not enough time or influence on the game to warrant a rating.
Marc Casado: N/A
Not enough time or influence on the game to warrant a rating.
