Wednesday night’s Champions League clash between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid was not only the second in four days, but the fifth since the beginning of December.
Saturday’s late, late showing from Barça at the Metropolitano was their eighth win in the last nine matches in all competitions, and Atleti hadn’t won in their last six Champions League knockout games (L5, D1).
Given that the Catalans had failed to progress from six of their last nine Champions League quarter-finals, however, Hansi Flick
and the squad could take nothing for granted.
Back in 2013/14 and 2015/16, it was Atleti who went through to the UCL semi-finals at Barça’s expense, so even with the hosts not losing the last 25 H2H’s at Camp Nou — a run that had stood since 2006 — the Mattress Makers had Champions League history on their side in this fixture.
Let’s take a look at three talking points from the game…
Not enough control in midfield
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what was wrong in Barça’s midfield, suffice to say that whatever Pedri et al were trying, it just wasn’t working.
Dani Olmo remains something of an enigma for the club. Immense one week, anonymous the next.
Against Atleti, Olmo rarely offered anything as a supplementary attacking threat, even if his pass completion was amongst the best on show.
He didn’t really dovetail neatly with Eric Garcia and Pedri, and that lack of cohesion arguably denied Barça the control they needed against a Rojiblanco side that were more than happy to bypass that area of the pitch when given the chance.
Brave calls from Hansi Flick
It would be easy for Culers to say “well that’s a manager’s job” in relation to the half-time substitutions of Pedri and Robert Lewandowski, but it was still two massive calls from Hansi Flick.
Though not quite win or bust at that stage of the game either, like any good gambler, the German clearly understood that risk sometimes brings reward.
As a result, despite Barça being at a disadvantage, he was still happy to roll the dice in the hope of the Blaugranes getting back in the tie before heading to the Spanish capital.
What his decisions also showed was that he’s not a manager for turning, and his authority isn’t in question.
As it should be of course.
Marcus Rashford’s solid night
Though he didn’t get on the score sheet, Marcus Rashford did everything but put the ball in the back of the net.
Still an acquired taste for many Culers, if he is judged on what he’s done at the club rather than being compared to Raphinha, for example, surely the only conclusion that can be drawn is that he’s worthy of a place in the squad for next season?
Tireless running, clever movement and associative play at times… if there is to be one criticism, it is that he wasn’t able to score on a night when he spurned a handful of presentable chances.
