FC Barcelona produced a major performance on the pitch of Atlético de Madrid. In this weekend shock in Spain, the Catalans brought down Atlético on their home turf for the first time this season in the league (0-3). Thanks to Robert Lewandowski, author of a goal and two assists, Barça struck a major blow, two days after the draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain, its future opponent at this stage of the competition, has been warned: this Barça could prove very dangerous.
After eliminating Inter in the Champions League this week, Atlético de Madrid suffered the blow. With one less day of recovery, an extra time and a penalty shootout to eliminate the Milanese team, the Colchoneros had to continue in a big meeting against a Barça eager to recover their place as runners-up before the international break. At the start of the match, Diego Simeone did without the services of Antoine Griezmann and Memphis Depay, both scorers in C1 this week. In fact, the first period seemed very monotonous and only a three-way move between Ilkay Gundogan, Robert Lewandowski and Joao Félix led to the last-named opening the score (38th, 0-1).
Joao Felix of FC Barcelona celebrates a goal during the Spanish League, LaLiga EA Sports, football match played between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Civitas Metropolitano stadium on March 17, 2024, in Madrid, Spain.
Credit: Getty Images
From the great Lewandowski
Shamed since his loan to Barça this season and already a scorer in the first leg in Catalonia, Félix has not really improved his popularity rating in a Civitas Metropolitano ready to whistle every touch of the ball from the Portuguese international. In this hostile climate, FC Barcelona never felt uncomfortable, quite the contrary. Returning from the locker room, Griezmann and Depay set foot on the green rectangle but this had no influence on the dynamics of the match and the central hinge Araujo-Cubarsi perfectly controlled the opposing offensives. For its part, the Blaugrana collective was able to rely on a boss-sized Lewandowski to widen the gap.
Served by Raphinha, the Polish striker doubled the lead with a pivotal strike full of intuition (48th, 0-2). Shortly after the hour mark, Lewandowski continued his recital by placing the ball on the head of Fermin Lopez to end the suspense (65th, 0-3). Definitely dropped, Atlético plunged into despair in stoppage time with the exclusion of Nahuel Molina (90th + 3). The symbol of a hugely missed game, which leaves Atlético one point behind Athletic Club in fifth place in the championship, which would be synonymous with non-qualification for the next C1. For second-placed Barça, Real Madrid ultimately only have an eight-point lead at the top…