Three takeaways from Barcelona 3-1 Atletico Madrid | OneFootball

Goals from Raphinha, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres helped Barcelona register a 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid last night in their clash at the Spotify Camp Nou.

The Catalans utterly and thoroughly dominated the game against Diego Simeone’s side, creating an xG of 3.88 over 90 minutes when compared to Atletico Madrid’s 0.97.

What made the win further stand out was the fact that it was a comeback victory, for the Blaugrana initially were 1-0 down and then went on to overturn the deficit in some style.

Barça Universal brings you three takeaways from Barcelona 3-1 Atletico Madrid.

A first big-game win

PSG, Real Madrid, Chelsea – all of Barcelona’s big games prior to last night’s clash ended in defeats and the team were clearly struggling to cope with the pressure that comes inevitably with such high-pressure situations.

Last night, however, showed that something changed because Barcelona not only dominated but thoroughly deserved the win over Atletico Madrid. The margin, truth be told, should have been far more sizeable.

The Catalans dominated the midfield and the possession and created attacking chances with ease, and the primary upgrade came in the pressing system off the ball, which was significantly better than it has been in recent times.

After a game where Hansi Flick was left disappointed by the team’s performance against Deportivo Alaves, last night’s result will come as a major confidence boost to not only the manager but also to the dressing room as a whole.

It serves as a critical reminder that Barcelona still have it in them to dominate high-quality opposition and that they are not far off from their best.

Furthermore, it hands them three vital points and takes them four clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table, putting pressure on Los Blancos ahead of their difficult clash against Athletic Club later today.

The importance of the win, thus, cannot be understated, and it will serve as a point of inspiration for the team heading forward this season, just as last season’s win over Bayern Munich did.

Is Gerard Martin the solution?

Gerard Martin impressed at centre-back again. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Barcelona have struggled to replace Inigo Martinez all season, and the departure of the left-footed centre-back seriously affected not only the efficiency of the defence but also the team’s buildup performance.

Ronald Araujo has struggled to fill in the shoes of the veteran, while Eric Garcia is clearly better placed at right-back or in the pivot. All factors considered, Hansi Flick has given Gerard Martin a run in the department in recent games.

The fixture against Athletic Club served as the starter, and the youngster then dished out another promising performance vs Alaves that showed that he may well be the solution the team are looking for.

Yet, doubts persisted whether Flick should continue that experiment against an opponent of Atletico Madrid’s calibre.

Flick, however, continued to retain faith in Martin and handed him the start last night. And the 23-year-old dished out a fine performance once more, making a strong case to move up the manager’s pecking order.

Indeed, he lunged into a risky tackle at one point in the first half and made a case to be sent off. Barring that, however, Martin did exceedingly well against one of Spain’s most in-form teams.

In 90 minutes, the defender won two tackles, made three interceptions and a staggering nine clearances. He also won five duels, including 100% of his aerial duels attempted, and made two recoveries for the team.

What initially started off as a contentious experiment, thus, may well have led to Barcelona’s most important problem being solved.

There is still a lot of room to improve, but Martin has always been one to push himself to be better. Moreover, his being left-footed also makes him a left-footed centre-half, perfect for the system.

Forward line finally fluid

It comes as no surprise that Barcelona’s attacking line is looking more fluid than ever after last season’s lethal trio have reunited and got past their injury struggles.

Raphinha’s return to the team has served as the biggest catalyst in reigniting the same fluidity that dominated Europe last season, and last night’s game again showed flashes of that brilliance.

Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha bring the best out of each other, and it is no surprise that the trio looked lethal multiple times against Atletico Madrid.

While the Polish striker may indeed not have been at his best and even missed a penalty, he did make some vital off-the-ball runs and combination sequences.

Yamal grew into the game as it progressed and led the counterattack by repeatedly trying to switch flanks and taking defenders on. He looked to be past his discomfort and back to his agile dribbling best.

Raphinha, meanwhile, threatened with nearly every move and constantly looked to either shoot on goal or create a chance, proving why he is the leader of the attack and utterly irreplaceable.

All three players, combined with Pedri’s comeback and Dani Olmo’s return to form, made Barcelona’s attack look more lethal than they have all season. The buildup was effortless, seamless, and a sign of great things to come.