João Félix killed off Atlético Madrid, and he could not have enjoyed it any more, extracting revenge on the club that still owns him and to which he hopes never to return. The Portuguese, on loan at Barcelona, scored the only goal as they defeated Atlético at Montjuic, securing a vital victory that came laced with vindication, then he produced a celebration that showed just what it meant to him. Leaping on to the advertising board, he stood arms wide. So now what?
For now, he wins. It may be only one match but it was a grudge match and it had gone his way, all the tension taken out on the pitch. If he was unpopular back at Atlético – and the evidence from Montjuic suggests very strongly that he was – he will be even less popular now. Here in Catalonia, on this night, they embraced him like never before, and no wonder. This was a big win for a team under pressure, a release for all of them. When he departed with 15 minutes to go, he walked past Diego Simeone without a look but inside it was surely different. Then he embraced his coach, Xavi, and applauded the crowds who stood to hand him an ovation.
It had been his night. Félix had dominated the buildup to this game, which for all the significance of a clash between contenders, third against fourth, had become about him. Words were had, verbal shots were fired, messages sent with their meaning not so well hidden. Antoine Griezmann had said the 24-year-old had lacked the consistency to really make an impact during his four years at Atlético; Simeone had noted that anyone can have a good game. Xavi identified that as a dig; it should serve, he said, as inspiration.
And, oh, it did. And if it was only one game, it was some game, a real edge to go with the quality. Whatever really happened with him in Madrid, it festers still. It also fuels. They did not meet with embraces like old friends reunited; they met like enemies with the bit between their teeth, offered the opportunity to settle scores. The Portuguese enjoyed proving his point – and, it might be added, burning his bridges. He may still have to go back after all, even if no one wanted that before and even less so now.
The best of many moments for him came after half an hour, dashing behind the Atlético defence, stepping away from José María Giménez, and cleverly lifting the ball over Jan Oblak. The move had been superb, Jules Koundé and Raphinha driving at Atlético to find him. He had never scored against Real Madrid or Barcelona; now, with his first shot, he had scored against Atlético. It was his first league goal in nine, and if he was to choose one, it would have been this.
Half an hour had gone, and Barcelona led. Not that it should have taken that long. Their start was superb, four chances made inside 15 minutes. The first fell to Raphinha in the opening 60 seconds and he had another headed effort fade wide not long after. But it was Robert Lewandowski who was most culpable, which has been the case disconcertingly often of late. He sent a volley wide and an attempted header hit him in the face, leaving his nose hurting as much as his pride.
At the other end, Marcos Llorente couldn’t quite get a shot off, with Frenkie de Jong arriving to stop him just in time and then made another chance for Griezmann. Again, it was De Jong, superb throughout, who rescued them, 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, having a go. It wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last.
The Portuguese got up again and might have had a second just before half-time, Oblak making a superb save from close range and Mario Hermoso catching his ankle as he got the shot off. Simeone didn’t like what he saw and made three changes in 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 clashed, Simeone said Félix had dived; the forward approached and said something back. It wasn’t: hey, boss, lovely to see you again.
He was enjoying this more than they were, getting right under their skin as Barcelona continued to have the better of things, with Pedri growing and Raphinha soon striking the post. Almost immediately though Atlético were away, Álvaro Morata, Llorente and Lino setting up Griezmann for a shot that hit the side-netting. A moment after that, a swift, low ball in from Llorente created a clear chance for Morata inside the six-yard box but Iñaki Peña saved. Atlético were alive.
They might have got the equaliser too when Memphis Depay’s extraordinary free-kick was met by an equally impressive save, the ball coming back off Peña’s hand and the angle of post and bar. Barcelona faced another one straight after; this time Griezmann took it and struck the wall. And in the very last second Atlético should have taken something but Ángel Correa, clean through, smashed his shot straight at Peña from close range.
The night’s other ex – Griezmann – was facing his former side but was not going to win. Anyone can have one good game? Perhaps so, but this time it was Félix who did.
