Joao Felix has given Atletico Madrid fans an additional reason not to favour him. Currently on loan from Atletico due to issues last season, and with a return appearing unlikely, Felix scored a goal over goalkeeper Jan Oblak in the 28th minute. This secured a 1-0 home victory for Barcelona on December 3, edging the Catalan team closer to the summit of the Spanish league standings.
"It was a relief after everything that I went through last summer," said Félix, who was still with Atletico when he upset fans by saying his dream was to play for Barcelona.
"Only those close to me know what it was like, especially my family. This was for them."
Barcelona's win brought them within four points of Girona and Real Madrid, who both won their matches on December 2. Real Madrid secured a 2-0 victory against Granada, while Girona triumphed 2-1 over Valencia.
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Atletico, without a win in their last 18 away matches against Barcelona in the league, slipped to fourth place. They are three points behind Barcelona in third, but Atletico have a game in hand.
This marks the fourth consecutive win in four matches between Barcelona's coach, Xavi Hernandez, and Atletico's Diego Simeone.
"It's another loss in Barcelona, but good things will come, we have to be patient," said Simeone, who avoided talking about Félix's performance.
Felix joined Atletico in 2019 for 120 million euros (now $130 million) but didn't quite live up to the high expectations that accompanied his hefty signing. However, he made a promising start with Barcelona, scoring three goals in his initial three matches.
In the 77th minute at the Olympic Lluis Companys Stadium, Felix received a standing ovation as Ferran Torres substituted him. The Portuguese forward secured the win by skillfully flicking the ball over Oblak from a tight angle after a pass from Raphinha.
Barcelona's goalkeeper Inaki Pena, stepping in for the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen, made crucial saves towards the end, ensuring Barcelona's third victory in four league matches.
Before this, Barcelona had a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano and a 2-1 win against Porto, securing their return to the Champions League knockout stage for the first time after two consecutive group-stage eliminations.
Felix, a former Benfica player, also found the net against Porto on November 28. On the other hand, Simeone's Atletico had won four consecutive matches in all competitions, with two losses, including one against Las Palmas, and eight wins in their last 10 league matches.
SEVILLA HELD AGAIN
Sevilla's lack of victories in the Spanish league extended to eight matches with a 1-1 draw at home against Villarreal.
This latest disappointment occurred just four days after Sevilla's elimination from the Champions League group stage. They suffered a 3-2 loss to PSV Eindhoven in a match where they were leading 2-0 in the second half.
The home team narrowly avoided another defeat when Villarreal's potential game-winner was disallowed deep into stoppage time on December 3. Ben Brereton found the net in the seventh minute of added time, but the goal was overturned after a video review revealed a foul by Brereton on Kike Salas.
Sevilla had taken the lead in the 75th minute through Salas, only for 12th-place Villarreal to equalise in the 77th minute thanks to Jose Luis Morales.
Sevilla, without a league victory since a 5-1 triumph over last-place Almeria in September, currently occupies the 15th position in the standings.
ALMERIA STILL WINLESS
Almeria remains the sole team without a league victory this season, following a goalless home draw against Real Betis. The situation was compounded for Betis, who played with 10 men after Hector Bellerin received a straight red card in the 27th minute.
Under the management of Manuel Pellegrini, Betis, currently in seventh place, have maintained an unbeaten streak of 10 consecutive league matches, comprising four wins and six draws.
MALLORCA HELD
Javier Aguirre's Mallorca, positioned 16th in the league, secured a 0-0 draw against 13th-place Alaves, maintaining their winless record at home this season with six draws and one loss.
Alaves, currently without a win in eight away games, have accumulated three draws and five losses.
ANOTHER GUDELJ SCARE
Cordoba defender Dragisa Gudelj, who experienced a cardiac arrest during a match eight months ago, collapsed in the first half of a third-division game against Melilla on December 3. Fortunately, he was reported to be in good condition, and Cordoba stated that the 26-year-old Gudelj was doing well and undergoing tests at a hospital in Melilla.
This incident comes after a previous occurrence in March, where a game between Cordoba and Racing Ferrol had to be abandoned early in the first half due to Gudelj's collapse, leading to his urgent hospitalisation in an ambulance.
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