3️⃣ points as Lionel Messi strikes late to break Atleti hearts | OneFootball

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Alex Mott·1 December 2019

3️⃣ points as Lionel Messi strikes late to break Atleti hearts

Article image:3️⃣ points as Lionel Messi strikes late to break Atleti hearts

Lionel Messi – who else? – broke Atlético Madrid hearts as Barcelona claimed a late away win at Wanda Metropolitano.

A tight, tetchy and tactical game was won by the Argentine record-breaker, as they went back top of LaLiga.


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Bad blood

Article image:3️⃣ points as Lionel Messi strikes late to break Atleti hearts

If you needed an indication as to just how the Atlético Madrid fans would be treating Antoine Griezmann on his first return to the Wanda Metropolitano, then you just needed to look outside the stadium.

A plaque bearing the Frenchman’s name had been covered in a red cross, a toy rats and was subsequently stamped on by the hoards of entering Atleti supporters.

And then there was his reception inside the ground.

The whistles were so loud when Griezmann’s name was read out that you couldn’t actually hear the stadium announcer and the boos that treated his every touch were deafening.

Some players raise their game when confronted with that kind of antagonism – that was not the case tonight.

Griezmann, as with most of the Barcelona side to be perfectly frank, was completely anonymous and struggled to impose himself on a sodden night in the capital.

When you cost north of €100m, that’s just not good enough.


Best in class

Article image:3️⃣ points as Lionel Messi strikes late to break Atleti hearts

Lionel Messi, Frenkie De Jong, Saul Niguez, Joao Felix.

Some of the very best outfield players in world football were on show this evening, but after the final whistle blew there was at least one thing very clear to all observers.

This game belonged to both goalkeepers.

Jan Oblak has been widely regarded as the very best shot-stopper in the game for the past few seasons, but tonight Marc-Andre ter Stegen joined him on the top table and staked his claim as the number one of number ones.

The Germany international was utterly sensational here, stopping expertly from an Alvaro Morata header and then unbelievably keeping out Mario Hermoso’s close-range volley.

And to think he doesn’t even get in the national team.


Perfect encapsulation

Article image:3️⃣ points as Lionel Messi strikes late to break Atleti hearts

If someone were to ask you how Barcelona and Atlético Madrid’s seasons’ were going, just send them a tape of this game.

It was the perfect encapsulation of what these two teams are heading into the backend of 2019.

Technical quality was a consistent presence from both teams, but there was something profoundly lacking when it really mattered.

For the visitors, it was Ter Stegen, Messi and not much in between.

For Atleti, there was a good press and a threat from set-piece but no real cutting-edge.

Could those factors be the reason that Real Madrid end up winning LaLiga come May?