Hansi Flick’s Barcelona host Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in what is their second encounter in the past four days.
Unlike their previous meeting, Barca goes with a traditional number nine. Juan Musso begins the game, as the starting goalkeeper Jan Oblak is out injured. Atletico also play with a 4-4-2 as Simeone is known for his defensive tactics, which is know to frustrate the opposition players. Griezmann who moves to the MLS, features upfront with Julian Alvarez.
Rashford, in the third minute saw his strike well saved by Musso. Alvarez in the fifth minute then had his shot held by Joan Garcia. Atletico are playing while with the ball with a 4-2-4 formation, with the wingers, Guliano Simeone and Ademola Lookman pushing high up the pitch which leaves the Barca fullbacks pinned back.
Lamine Yamal and Rashford are holding the width high on either side. Kounde is more reserved in his approach while Joao Cancelo is more adventurous on the left hand side, as he can go either in an underlap and overlap to aid Rashford.
Atletico have no reservations in playing in that 4-4-2 formation as they try to make the pitch smaller while defending their goal. Barca are playing with a 3-1-1-5 as they try to overload Atleti’s back four. Their high-press leads them to defend in a 4-2-3-1.
Rashford score a goal but was given as offside. Semi-automated technology confirmed the offside.
Barca have kept possession of the ball, while Atletico have been sitting back trying to deny them. Koke, the captain of Los Rojiblancos was the first to receive a yellow card. One thing about Lamine Yamal is that he can take on players one on one. Rashford in the thirtieth minute had a chance to score but was thwarted by Juan Musso. The wingers have both had good games, as they glide past the Atletico defenders with ease. It was the same as the league game, as Yamal was part and parcel of Nico Gonzalez getting sent off. Ruggeri in this game has had a hard time defending Yamal, as Atletico have decided to double up on him at times.
However, things took a sharp twist in the forty-first minute as Pau Cubarsi fouled Guliano Simeone outside the box. Initially, it was a yellow card, but after the intervention of VAR, the referee rescinded the yellow card and gave Cubarsi a red card for the denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Barca down to 10!
Alvarez then strikes the free kick into the corner.
Barca are one goal down and one man down. 1-0 Atletico, well against the run of play.
In the second additional minute, Lewandowski’s shot was tame as it was easy for Musso to handle.
Half-time. Barca 0, Atletico Madrid 1.
A free-kick at the end of the first-half has changed everything.
Two subs were made as Lewandowski came off for Fermin and Pedri came off for Gavi.
Rashford had the first chance of note in the second half with him rounding the keeper, but with the angle closed, he hit the side-netting.
In the fifty-second minute, Rashford hit a venomous free-kick which Musso tipped onto the crossbar.
After the goal kick had been taken, Marc Pubill handled the ball in what should in my opinion had been a penalty. In the fifty-ninth minute, Barca had a corner which Dani Olmo flicked wide with his head.
Barca, with a man down, are defending with a 4-2-3 formation while Atletico have defended well, hardly deviating from their principles heralded by Simeone who came in 2011.
Anyways, the second goal for Atletico came in the seventieth minute, also against the run of play by Alexander Sørloth as it has doubled the margin which, if Barca don’t reply they would need to score at least two at the Metropolitano.
Set-pieces were an avenue of Barca to get a goal back but they’ve been profligate so far.
With fifteen minutes, to go, Barca started piling men forward seeking the goal that will get them back in this game, but they haven’t been able to do so.
To be fair, Barcelona have played quite well, and certainly don’t deserve to lose this game by two goals to nil. However, football can be a very unfair game at times, and Atletico made the most of their moments with a gem of a free-kick from Alvarez as well as a good finish from Alexander Sørloth. Lamine Yamal (especially) and Rashford had caused trouble down the wings for La Blaugrana.
If Barca want to triumph in the second leg, they need to get an early goal. I believe given the football they have played in this game that this cannot be ruled out. Atletico need to set up their tactics in order to frustrate the Catalonian team. I think we are going to be treated to such a wonderful second leg, especially if Barcelona get an early goal.
Ore M. 
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