Atletico Madrid’s defeat by Barcelona was more than a setback in the La Liga title race, according to former players and analysts, who believe the result exposed the team’s failure to take advantage of a vulnerable opponent and highlighted the pressure on Julian Alvarez.
Kiko Narvaez and Manu Carreno, speaking on El Larguero on Cadena SER, agreed that Atletico had been the better side for long periods while Barcelona looked fragile. But they said Barcelona ultimately prevailed because it corrected its weaknesses, whereas Atletico could not find the player capable of deciding the match.
The loss was Atletico’s second successive home defeat, increasing the scrutiny on Diego Simeone and his team.
Atletico fail to take their chance
Narvaez, the former Atletico player, described the result as a setback that could not be overlooked. He said the home side had been presented with an ideal opportunity to exploit Barcelona’s weaknesses.
“The conclusion is that we were capable of taking advantage of Barcelona’s weaknesses today,” Narvaez said. “I saw a completely different level from our team on Tuesday against Bayern Munich. I was not happy with Simeone’s substitutions or with the second half.”
He added that the defeat was particularly difficult to accept because Atletico had possessed the tools to change the outcome but lacked the courage and decision-making needed at the decisive moments.
Carreno also criticised Barcelona’s defending against major opponents, although he argued that Atletico had allowed the Catalan side back into the contest.
“I saw Barcelona looking extremely fragile defensively against the big teams once again,” Carreno said. “The result would have been completely different if Atletico Madrid had taken its chances.”
He nevertheless praised Hansi Flick for the way Barcelona responded after the interval.
“Flick comes out of this match stronger because he managed to correct the mistakes that appeared in the first half,” Carreno said.
Alvarez under pressure
The most intense debate centred on Julian Alvarez, who arrived in Madrid expected to become Atletico’s leading star. Carreno said the Argentina forward had yet to justify the expectations surrounding him.
“He has not yet shown that he is worth 100 or 150 million. I still consider him one of the good strikers, not one of the stars,” Carreno said. “Atletico need a forward who can decide matches. Julian has to take another step forward; he is not a player who makes the difference.”
“He had to show his best against Barcelona. He is still missing that extra quality he has not found yet. There is no player like him in the team and, as Simeone said, ‘Without Julian, we will not achieve our goals’. That is Simeone’s way of showing his support, but it also puts pressure on him.”
Narvaez agreed, saying Alvarez had missed “two practically certain chances”. He argued that the forward must be judged by his performances in matches that shape the season, rather than against weaker opponents.
However, Narvaez urged Atletico supporters not to jeer Alvarez, insisting Simeone still trusted him and that excessive pressure could prove counterproductive.
The criticism also extended to Simeone’s handling of transfers and major matches. The analysis concluded that the Argentine manager had not found the right combination to give Atletico the necessary cutting edge, while his substitutions failed to alter the course of the game against Barcelona.
