First-half embarrassment, De Jong’s impact | Three takeaways from Atletico Madrid 1-2 Barcelona

Barcelona came back from a 1-0 deficit to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 last night at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, taking home a huge win ahead of the international break.

Giuliano Simeone gave Los Rojiblancos the lead early in the game, but Fermin Lopez cancelled it out with a great finish before half-time.

In the second half, Barcelona improved on their performance and dominated the hosts, eventually finding a second goal through the same goalscorer. The damage could have been worse, but Barcelona failed to capitalise on their other chances.

Heading into the international break now, Barcelona are the league leaders with a three-point cushion over Real Madrid and five points over Atletico Madrid.

Barça Universal brings you three takeaways from Atletico Madrid 1-2 Barcelona.

First-half embarrassment

Going purely by Barcelona’s first-half display against Atletico Madrid last night, a win appeared to be close to impossible.

Giuliano Simeone scored the opening goal for Atletico Madrid. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Right from the get-go at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, the Catalans suffered against Atletico Madrid’s high press and spirited attacking display.

More importantly, the team looked far from interested and none of the players barring Lamine Yamal and Pedri put in a shift to be proud of.

The defence was simply in shambles, with the full-backs being especially disappointing.

Joao Cancelo struggled down the left flank and was constantly left exposed on Atletico Madrid’s transitions. His attacking coherence was not on point, nor did he look confident with the ball.

Brian Farinas, meanwhile, was clearly out of his depth as he struggled to keep up with Atletico Madrid’s pace. He was often left hanging after poor positioning decisions, and even his distribution was slightly off.

As a result of Barcelona’s defensive pitfalls and the hosts’ high-pressure midfield, the Catalans neither dominated the proceedings nor created many chances of note. Even the equaliser, in fact, was relatively undeserved as Atletico Madrid were clearly the better side throughout the opening 45 minutes.

Frenkie de Jong’s impact

Frenkie de Jong made a big difference. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Pressed to make changes after a disappointing first-half performance, Hansi Flick came up with an unconventional change that left many surprised. That move, however, turned out to be a masterstroke.

With the defence clearly suffering and the midfield lacking numbers to create a sense of dominance, the manager brought Frenkie de Jong on for Brian Farinas.

On paper, the captain played at right-back and did much better than the La Masia graduate in terms of controlling Alex Baena and the wide midfielders. 

Practically, however, he also advanced and added numbers in midfield, creating a sense of midfield dominance and ensuring Barcelona keep the momentum and possession.

His role, in that sense, was like a false right-back, and that change saw the dynamics of the game change completely. From being dominated, Barcelona immediately went to a state of complete control where Atletico Madrid were simply left chasing the ball.

Later in the game, the captain also moved to a proper midfield role where he established himself as a reliable partner to Pedri. It is safe to say that De Jong changed the game when it mattered most last night, and that he should be a default starter after the international break, at least until Rodri returns to offer a dilemma.

A win of monumental significance

While Barcelona’s games against PSG and Real Madrid may appear more important than a clash against Atletico Madrid, last night’s clash at the Metropolitano was far more significant for Barcelona.

Barcelona strengthened their position at the top of the table. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Los Rojiblancos, after all, would have topped the table and sent Barcelona down in the standings just before the international break with a win last night. Flick’s men not only prevented that, but extended their lead over Atletico Madrid to five points with their comeback win.

Beyond that, however, the result marked the end of a great week for Barcelona, especially given how they also convincingly took down Aston Villa midweek in the UEFA Champions League. To beat them and Atletico Madrid in the same week will come as a massive confidence boost.

Barcelona are still far from perfect. The first-half display showed that a lot must change if they are to compete against elite opponents with dominance, and there are several areas to improve.

Yet, the win showed that when switched on, they are simply one of the best teams around – one that even the league’s second-best team could not control in the second half.

Heading into the international break, Barcelona now have the momentum firmly on its side.