Atletico Madrid 4 Barcelona 0: Lamine Yamal and Co. Receive Poor Ratings
- Barcelona slumped to their worst defeat of the Hansi Flick era after a crushing 4-0 loss in Madrid
- An early own goal and defensive disarray triggered a devastating first-half collapse for Flick's men
- The Catalans now face an enormous task in the second leg after being completely outclassed
Barcelona endured a chastening evening in the capital as they were comprehensively dismantled 4-0 by Atletico Madrid at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Thursday, February 12, marking arguably their poorest display under Hansi Flick and one of their most alarming performances in over a year.
From the first whistle, the Catalans looked disjointed, lacking intensity and cohesion. An early own goal handed the initiative to the hosts, and from that moment on, the contest quickly spiralled out of control.
Source: Getty Images
Atletico pressed relentlessly, attacked with purpose, and exposed Barcelona’s fragile back line time and again. By the interval, the damage was severe: 4-0 down, and fortunately, it was not worse.
The second half offered little in the way of redemption. A disallowed goal following a VAR review summed up their frustration, while Atletico remained comfortable and composed. Flick’s men now face a daunting challenge in the return leg if they are to salvage any pride from the tie.
Barcelona's defensive collapse vs. Atletico
Meanwhile, Joan Garcia endured a torrid night between the posts, making poor decisions under pressure and setting the tone with an unfortunate own goal that opened the floodgates.
Source: Getty Images
As stated by Barca Universal, he struggled to cope with Atletico’s aggressive pressing and looked short of confidence throughout.
Alejandro Balde was also repeatedly targeted down the flank, with the hosts exploiting the space behind him at will. Time and again, Barcelona were carved open from his side, leaving him chasing shadows against rapid counter-attacks.
Then Pau Cubarsi found himself overwhelmed once Atletico gained momentum. The youngster failed to read the game effectively and could not execute the offside trap. His evening was summed up when a rare Barcelona goal was ruled out for offside.
As for Eric Garcia, usually dependable this season, he had an uncharacteristically chaotic outing. Unable to organise the defence, he was later dismissed for a needless challenge, ruling him out of the second leg.
Jules Kounde also struggled badly, losing key duels and offering little resistance as Atletico ran riot.
Barcelona's attack was blunted
In midfield, Marc Casado was withdrawn early after an ineffective display, while Frenkie de Jong failed to impose control despite wearing the captain’s armband.
Dani Olmo showed glimpses of creativity but could not turn neat passes into genuine openings.
Fermin Lopez came closest to scoring, rattling the crossbar with a volley and narrowly missing a through ball, yet his influence faded thereafter.
Lamine Yamal, often Barcelona’s spark, slipped frequently and found himself tightly marked, unable to produce his usual magic, as Barca Universal remarked.
Ferran Torres was largely anonymous, struggling to find space against Atletico’s compact structure. Even the introduction of Robert Lewandowski failed to alter the narrative, as Barcelona’s attacking play remained blunt and predictable.
As featured by Barcelona's official website, it was a sobering night for Flick’s side, one that demands a swift and emphatic response in the return fixture.
Yamal equals Messi's record
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Lamine Yamal etched his name into Barcelona history by scoring in four straight matches across three competitions, a run no current squad member has managed since Lionel Messi.
Flashscore noted that the streak began on January 25 with a goal in a 3-0 La Liga win over Real Oviedo, before he added a goal and an assist against Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League.
Source: YEN.com.gh
