Why Diego Godin Is the 1 Atletico Madrid Player Barcelona Would Love to Sign

Should Barcelona ever want to plunder a big-name signing from Atletico Madrid, there really is just one player that fits the bill.

The Catalans showed again in their 3-2 defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday that they still aren't completely over their Achilles' heel of failing to defend set pieces or high balls.

With so many clean sheets this season it may be the wrong time to be nit picking, but the ease with which Medhi Benatia delivered an early blow to Barca needs further examination.

Gerard Pique is enjoying a wonderful campaign, his best for a few years, yet he cannot be expected to be the go-to defender every single time a ball is floated into the danger areas.

In those kind of situations, Barca need a centre-back who will attack the ball taking all before them if necessary.

Diego Godin is precisely that kind of exponent. A fearless and uncompromising warrior, the Uruguayan will deal with the danger and concern himself with the consequences later.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Football can be pretty, yes, but there is beauty in watching any player hone his craft, even if that requires the more rudimentary elements of the game at times.

As captain of Atleti, Godin has the respect of his peers and it's easy to see why. Not just leading by example, Godin has a presence and an authority about him which commands that reverence.

In many respects there are similarities to former Barca captain Carles Puyol so the suggestion of a Godin arrival isn't as far-fetched as some might imagine.

Robert Lewandowski also showed in the Champions League semi-final that, up against a strong, tall centre-forward, Barca can still be found wanting at times.

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

Taking nothing away from the skill that the Polish striker possesses, you feel that someone like Godin wouldn't have given away half as much time and space as Lewandowski found in the Allianz Arena on the night.

Quite how Godin missed out on UEFA's Team of the Year during the Ballon d'Or gala earlier in the season is anyone's guess. Pete Jenson of the MailOnline was just one to express dismay at that particular decision:

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The battle-worn Uruguayan who failed to make the team of the year despite an incredible 2014 might be overlooked on the world stage but no one at Atletico Madrid is held in higher esteem by coach Diego Simeone.

[...] He marshaled one of the meanest defences in Europe last season, showing the sort of leadership his coach demands from his most experienced players and he scored one of the most important goals in Atletico Madrid’s history.

[...] All that apparently doesn’t carry much weight with FIFPro. They preferred Luiz, who was part of a defence that shipped seven goals against Germany.

Even though the Rojiblancos haven't quite hit the heady heights of last season, Godin has still been there in the trenches, leading from the front.

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If there's one thing that you can't accuse Godin of, it's going missing in a match. Every single time he pulls on the shirt you can be assured that he is going to give you his very best work.

In a team full of great players, Godin still has a higher rating than the likes of Koke, Antoine Griezmann and Arda Turan, per WhoScored.com.

The reasons why Diego Simeone doesn't want to sell him are blindingly obvious, but if that calibre of player ever became available then Barcelona would have to jostle for position at the front of the queue.