Barcelona Player Ratings from a 1-0 win against Atlético

FC Barcelona welcomed Atlético Madrid to Montjuïc on a chilly Sunday night, in a match that was very important to both teams. If Barça could win the three points, they'd keep pace in the title race and stay 4 points behind the leaders. They'd also leapfrog Atleti and secure the third spot on the La Liga table. Barça started very well, and Atleti were shut out in the first half, barely doing anything offensively.

The Barça midfield and passing was quick and decisive, much better energy and tempo than what we've been used to seeing in recent weeks. They started aggressive, having a handful of pretty good chances within the first 15 minutes. Finally, a half hour in, Félix would score to give the Catalans the lead. The Barça press was much better as well, and Atleti were boxed in. In the second half, the contest was more even, with both teams having chances, but Barça were able to pull out the win with some good defense. Despite missing a ton of chances (as usual), the three points were secured.

Let's see how each player fared in this one:

Goalkeeper

Iñaki Peña: 8/10 - Not much to do in the first half, as Atleti were pretty contained. However, a great second half. He had a great save in the 80th min to deny a Memphis free kick and another imperial save in the 94th min on Correa. Without Peña's saves, the tenuous 1-0 lead would have evaporated quickly.