Joao Felix Earns Barcelona Victory Over Atletico Madrid
What Happened?
On-loan Joao Felix scored the only goal as Barcelona defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 in La Liga on Thursday, December 22, 2024.
The Portuguese forward struck in the 9th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Barcelona held on for the win despite Atletico's dominance in possession and chances created.
Significance
The victory extends Barcelona's unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions.
It also marks Hansi Flick's first win as Barcelona manager.
For Atletico, the defeat further dents their hopes of challenging for the La Liga title.
Key Stats
- Barcelona had 31% possession compared to Atletico's 69%.
- Atletico had 20 shots to Barcelona's 7.
- Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made 8 saves to keep Atletico at bay.
Expert Analysis
Former Barcelona player and manager Xavi Hernandez praised Felix's performance.
"He's a fantastic player," Hernandez said. "He's very clever and has a great eye for goal."
Atletico manager Diego Simeone admitted that his team was not clinical enough in front of goal.
"We created a lot of chances but we couldn't take them," Simeone said. "We need to be more ruthless in the final third."
Next Matches
Barcelona will host Getafe in their next La Liga game on Sunday, December 25th.
Atletico will travel to face Espanyol on the same day.
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