by João Félix killed Atlético Madrid, and he couldn’t have enjoyed it more, getting revenge on the club he still owns and hopes to never return to. The Portuguese, on loan at Barcelona, scored the only goal as they beat Atlético in Montjuic, securing a crucial victory that came with a defence, then celebrated to show what it meant to him. Leaping onto the billboard, he stood arms wide. So now what?
So far, he won. Maybe it’s just one game but it was a miserable game and it was really gone, all the tension was taken out on the pitch. If he wasn’t popular back at Atlético – and Montjuic’s evidence strongly suggests he was – he won’t be so popular now. Here in Catalonia, this night, they accepted it like never before, and it’s not surprising. This was a great victory for a team under pressure, a release for all of them. When he left with 15 minutes to go, he walked past Diego Simeone without looking but it was certainly different inside. He then bowed to his coach, Xavi, and applauded the crowd who stood to give him an egg.
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It was a night. Félix dominated the build-up to this game, which came about because of all the importance of a clash between the rivals, third against fourth. Words were found, verbal shots were fired, messages were sent with hidden meaning as well. Antoine Griezmann said the 24-year-old lacked the consistency to really make an impact during his four years at Atlético; Simeone noted that anyone can have a good game. Xavi recognized that as a dig; it should serve, he said, as an inspiration.
And, oh, he did. And if it was just one game, it was some game, a real body to match the standard. Whatever really happened to him in Madrid, it still adds up. It also cools. They did not meet with hooves as old friends met again; they met like enemies with the bit between their teeth, they offered the opportunity to settle scores. The Portuguese enjoyed proving his point – and, one might add, burning his bridges. He might still have to go back after all, even if no one wanted that before and even less so now.
His best of many moments came after half-time, darting behind Atlético’s defence, leaving José María Giménez, and cleverly lifting the ball past Jan Oblak. The transfer was a great success, with Jules Koundé and Raphinha driving to Atlético to find him. He never scored against Real Madrid or Barcelona; now, with his first shot, he scored against Atlético. That was his first league goal in nine, and if he had to pick one, it would be this one.
Half an hour had passed, and Barcelona were in control. Not that it should have taken that long. They had a great start, creating four chances within 15 minutes. The first fell to Raphinha in the opening 60 seconds and he had another decisive effort not long after. But it was Robert Lewandowski who was most guilty, which has happened unhappily many times recently. He sent a volley wide and an attempted header hit him in the face, which left his nose hurting as much as his pride.
At the other end, Marcos Llorente was unable to get the lead, with Frenkie de Jong arriving to stop him just in time and then giving Griezmann another chance. Again, it was De Jong, excellent throughout, who succeeded, diving in to block this time. From the corner, Atlético had the ball in the net, but the whistle had already gone. Félix was down, Giménez standing over him, straddling him. It wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last.
The Portuguese rose again and might have had it two just before half-time, Oblak making a superb save from close range and Mario Hermoso grabbing his ankle as he took the shot. Simeone didn’t like what he saw and made three changes at the break. César Azpilicueta was among them; barely two minutes had passed when he was booked for a challenge on Félix. The next time they met, Simeone said that Félix had dipped; the front came to him and said something back. It wasn’t: hey, boss, nice to see you again.
He was enjoying this more than they were, getting right under their skin as Barcelona continued to improve, with Pedri growing and Raphinha hitting the post early on. Almost immediately though Atlético were away, Álvaro Morata, Llorente and Lino set up Griezmann for a shot that hit the side netting. Minutes later, a quick low ball in from Llorente created a clear chance for Morata inside the six-yard box but Iñaki Peña saved. Atlético was alive.
They might as well have found the equalizer when Memphis Depay’s brilliant free-kick was saved just as brilliantly, the ball rebounding off Peña’s arm and the angle of the post and bar. Barcelona faced another straight after; this time Griezmann took it and hit the wall. And in the last second Atlético should have taken something but Ángel Correa, clean through, broke his shot straight at Peña from close range.
The other former player of the night – Griezmann – was facing his former team but he was not going to win. Anyone can have one good game? Maybe so, but this time it was Félix who did it.
