Barcelona 0-0 Atletico Madrid: 5 hits and flops as draw leaves door open for Real Madrid to go top | La Liga 2020-21
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid shared the spoils in a key 2020-21 La Liga clash at the Camp Nou. Following the goalless stalemate, the door is now ajar for Real Madrid to go top of the table if they win at Sevilla on Sunday.
The Rojiblancos were the better side in the first half but often ran into the hulking frame of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, as the German custodian kept Barcelona in the game with a series of key stops.
Barcelona improved after the break, but clear-cut opportunities remained at a premium. Lionel Messi could have won the game late on for Barcelona but whizzed a free-kick narrowly wide off the post.
Despite both sides managing a combined 13 shots on target, there were no goals to show for their efforts. On that note, let's have a look at the five hits and flops from the game:
Hit: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Another big match, another big performance from the Barcelona ace. But a goal that could have lifted his team above Atletico Madrid was conspicuous by its absence.
Lionel Messi was at the heart of proceedings, and everything good coming from Barcelona flowed through their captain.
The Argentine made three key passes in the game and completed five of his nine attempted dribbles. One of them was an amazing, lung-bursting run in the second half that nearly resulted in a goal for Barcelona.
Flop: Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid)
With only three goals and no assists in his last 11 games, Luis Suarez was due a big performance. But that was not to be on his return to the Camp Nou.
The Uruguayan managed three limp efforts on target and could not make a single key pass. The only time he buried the ball into the net in the second half, the referee had already blown his whistle for a foul in the build-up.
Suarez's performance epitomised a clumsy outing by his team as Atletico Madrid could've taken all three points with more precision and cutting edge.