Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid: Winners and Losers from La Liga Game
Barcelona reignited their title challenge on Sunday evening, as they produced a fine performance to secure a 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid at the Nou Camp.
In what was a typically physical encounter between two teams who have grown to loathe each other in recent times, Neymar needed just 11 minutes to break the deadlock before Luis Suarez doubled the advantage soon after.
Mario Mandzukic scored from the penalty spot after half-time to briefly bring the game back to life as a contest, but Lionel Messi put a controversial week behind him in style as he rounded off an impressive individual display with a close-range finish that sealed the points.
The result means Barcelona are now just a point behind Real Madrid at the top of the table, albeit having played a game more than their traditional rivals. Atletico remain three points further back.
Click on for some winners and losers from Sunday's game.
Winner: Lionel Messi
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After a week of controversy, Lionel Messi responded in the best possible way—on the pitch. Handed a gold trophy before the match in acknowledgement of him recently becoming La Liga's all-time leading goalscorer, Messi added another to his tally in the 90 minutes that followed, but it was his overall performance that really made a clear statement.
The Argentine may well be unhappy with certain issues at the club, and he may be demanding changes behind the scene. But on Sunday he produced a more focused and consistent performance than we have seen from him in recent times.
His attacking intent set up Neymar's opener (although Luis Suarez may inadvertently end up getting the assist), and then he laid on Suarez's strike on a plate, pulling what is usually an obdurate Atletico defence apart with relative ease.
In the final minutes of the game he got a goal for himself, clinching the three points, but a message had already been sent. This was Messi at close to his very best, conclusively changing the course of a high-profile match.
Forget everything you read this week—Messi's performance was the only statement you need.
"That's over," teammate Neymar said after the game, per AS, when asked about the issues in the week. "We need to focus on the pitch. We do not have any problem. It's in the past and we're together. The victory was important. The team played its best and I'm really happy with the result."
Loser: Jose Maria Gimenez
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There must be a very real argument that Jose Maria Gimenez is the finest teenage footballer in the world. After all, how many other 19-year-olds are playing in such an important position, in such a good team, on such a regular basis?
Nevertheless, this was not a night he will look back on with much fondness. In many ways Gimenez enjoyed the opposite week to Messi—scoring in midweek against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey must count as one of the biggest moments of his fledgling career, but he was brought down to earth in this game as Barcelona's attackers gave him a torrid night.
It started badly and never really improved. Gimenez was caught out of position for Neymar's opener and then drew blood on the Brazilian's ankle with a brutal challenge on the edge of the box that he was perhaps lucky not to be penalised for. This pattern continued all game: Gimenez a yard off the right position as Barcelona poured forward or throwing himself wildly into challenges that nearly put his team in real trouble.
Gimenez is still very young, and the mere fact that Simeone would trust him on an occasion like this is to his great credit. But this was a difficult night for him, showing he still has a fair amount to learn against the very best opposition.
Winner: Luis Enrique
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After a week where his future, thanks to defeat to Real Sociedad and Lionel Messi's Instagram activities, was discussed at length by media around the world, Luis Enrique got the response he would have been hoping for from his team on Sunday.
Time will tell how much it really means, but Barcelona certainly looked like a team that were playing for each other—and their manager. They roared out of the blocks, showing an attacking threat and defensive cohesion that has occasionally been so sorely lacking in recent weeks and months.
Perhaps it was the quality of the opposition that forced them to raise their game, regardless of their personal feelings about Luis Enrique. That might be the case, but the three points mean the club are firmly back in the title race—and a week of turmoil has ended on a hugely positive note.
The beleaguered manager can be forgiven for allowing himself a smile or two tonight (and perhaps awarding Lionel Messi a soft free-kick or two next time in training).
Loser: Diego Simeone
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Perhaps he always feared this result was on the cards. It was always going to be a tough ask, beating Real Madrid and Barcelona in the same week, and Atletico never really looked like answering the latter part of that two-part question—the physicality and determination was there, as always, but there was a perceptible lack of the quality and incisiveness that Los Colchoneros usually have.
They were behind early, and nothing Simeone was able to do could inspire them back into the game. The goal, although it offered them a way back into the game, was nothing more than lucky: Jesus Gamez buying a penalty after Messi hardly touched him.
The result is bad news for Simeone, as it leaves his side's title defence in a perilous position. Three points behind Barcelona (and four points behind Real, who also have a game in hand), a recovery from this position would be every bit as impressive as anything they achieved last season.
That will disappoint Simeone, but perhaps he can turn the disappointment into a positive. They will surely not give up on the league just yet, but perhaps we might slowly start to see a greater focus on the Champions League and Copa del Rey, as the club look to win the trophies that eluded them last year.
