They were good enough to win it in the first half

Atlético lost 2-1 at home to Barcelona. Giuliano put them ahead on 10 minutes, but Fermín scored on 45 and 66. The gap to Barça at the top was two points before kick-off and is now five, and after the Bayern game this is a second straight defeat in all competitions.

They were good enough to win it in the first half. Atlético had seven shots to Barça's nine, close to even, and all four of their shots on target came before the break. Pubill headed against the bar on 6, and Joan García saved Baena's shot on 38. They were creating big chances as well, but could not get the second goal.

After the break they were well beaten. They had two shots to Barça's 10, and none on target.

The game had tilted before the changes

In the second half they were pushed back and could not get forward. Their completed passes in the opposition half dropped from 67 in the first half to 38, and their touches in the Barça box from 15 to four. Both of their second-half shots came from outside the area. Their xG was 1.38 in the first half and only 0.15 in the second.

I think the changes played a part, and so did tiredness. After Sørloth came on on 60, their only shot was Julián's on 71, and once Koke and Baena went off on 72 they did not have another one. On tiredness, though, Barça had also played on Tuesday 3 November, against Aston Villa, so they had the same gap between games as Atlético.

The game had been tilting Barça's way before Atlético made any changes. The momentum graph stayed on Barça's side from 42 minutes right through to 65. Fermín equalised on 45 and Atlético's first change came on 60, so the shift started before either.

Then Barça brought on Frenkie de Jong at right-back at half-time. In his 45 minutes, de Jong made 14 passes into the final third, more than any player on either side. Barça's possession went up to 68% in the second half. The game was already tilting from the end of the first half, and I think this change on top of it is why Atlético could no longer get forward.

After the game Simeone said: "We had 50 good minutes, which was our time, and then came their time, and they were more clinical than us." Going by the numbers, their time came a little before the 50th minute. It had already arrived by the end of the first half.

Julián's missed chances were one reason they lost

There's no point going on about it, but Julián missing his big chances was one of the reasons they lost. Even a draw would have changed the gap, and they could have gone into the international break still two points behind. He had two big chances and took neither. Strikers miss chances, so I'm not going to pick out one moment and make a big thing of it.

He also set up Giuliano's opener on 10 minutes, and one more goal would have made him the hero. That is why missing those chances will be hard on him mentally, I think.

In La Liga this season he has one goal in eight games, and only three starts. His last goal for Atlético came against Deportivo on 24 October, and he has now gone three games in all competitions without scoring. I'd kept waiting for him to get back to his best, but in a game as big as Barça he had moments where he could easily have scored twice, and I really feel that luck and momentum are not going his way. Simeone said "he played an important game", and added: "We'll wait for him. If we want to get where we want to go, we need him. If not, we won't get there." I imagine it is hard on him mentally too, and that worries me.

It was Fermín's day

The second goal on 66 came from a Lamine Yamal through ball, with Fermín timing his run well and finishing. Coming after his equaliser on 45, it made this Fermín's day. Keeping track of one player for a whole game is hard, and unlike Atlético, Fermín put his big chance away.

Pubill blocked well. His three blocks were the most by any player on either side.

First, they need to stop the losing run

First they need to end this losing run. What has been good about this season is how rarely they have dropped points, away from home included. In La Liga they have won nine, drawn one and lost two of their 12 games, they have won five and lost one away, and they have won all five of their games against sides who are 11th or lower after matchday 12. I want them to keep that going.

Beyond that, to win the league they also have to take points off the sides near the top. The three games where they dropped points, against Villarreal, Athletic and Barça, were all against teams in the top 10. Against top-10 sides Atlético have taken 13 points out of 21 from seven games, and Barça 15 out of 18 from six. Barça have also won every game against teams 11th or lower, so the difference is in the games against the top half, and Barça are better at winning those. Barça have 33 points, Real Madrid 30, and Atlético are third on 28.

After the international break, Atlético go to 15th-placed Getafe on 22 November. On 2 December they play Barça away, the second La Liga meeting between the two sides.

Ratings

Starters

PlayerItCFotMobNotes
Oblak56Made three saves. Played 19 long balls from the back and found a teammate with 11. Both goals came from shots inside the box.
Llorente5.56.5Started at right-back. Completed 41 of his 45 passes, more than anyone else in the team. Booked on 87.
Pubill5.56.6Was not dribbled past once, and made three tackles and three interceptions. Booked on 88.
Hancko56.1Made four clearances, but none of his six long balls reached a teammate.
Grimaldo5.56Had 66 touches, the most in the team. Defensively he was dribbled past three times and won five of his 12 ground duels.
Giuliano78Opened the scoring from close range on 10. Put in a shift defensively too, with six tackles and 11 duels won.
Koke76.5His passes from midfield created two big chances, the most in the team. Julián's run in behind on 55 also came from a Koke pass. Came off on 72.
Barrios76.2Went after the ball in midfield, and his seven tackles and 11 defensive actions were both team highs. ItC and FotMob rated him very differently. Came off on 78.
Baena66.7Had two shots himself and created three chances for teammates, the most in the team, so he was involved in a lot of the attacking play. Booked on 43 and came off on 72.
Kang-in Lee76.6Hardly gave the ball away before coming off on 60, completing 17 of his 19 passes. His shot on 24 was on target but saved.
Julián5.57.5Could not find the net, but his passes made chances for others, and his xA of 0.67 was the highest in the team. Completed all three of his dribbles. His ratings were far apart.

Substitutes

PlayerItCFotMobNotes
Sørloth55.9Came on at 60 minutes but hardly got involved up front. Nine touches in 30 minutes and no shots.
Hjulmand56.4Came on in the 72nd minute and won all three of his duels. Booked on 90+4.
Cardoso66.4Came on in the 72nd minute. Completed all four of his passes.
David55.8Came on in the 78th minute. Three touches in the last 12 minutes and no shots.

ItC ratings via Into the Calderón; FotMob ratings via FotMob.