Barrios discovers completely new qualities: Atletico strikes back

On to the goalscorer: Pablo Barrios celebrates. IMAGO/Imagn Images

The pressure was on for Atletico heading into their second match at this Club World Cup. After all, head coach Diego Simeone's team had lost their first match in the competition 4-0 to Champions League winners Paris. A crowd of 51,636 had flocked to Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Sounders, hoping for a minor upset.

But one Atletico player was in no mood for such a goal that day: Pablo Barrios. The 22-year-old Spanish international, who had scored only two goals in 90 competitive matches for Atletico in La Liga (76/1) and the Champions League (14/1), scored a brace as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

World champion Alvarez missed the first big chance of the game, missing the ball completely unchallenged by Sounders keeper Frei, who slotted the ball wide of the goal to the right (10'). Less than 60 seconds later, Barrios made his first big appearance, perfectly positioning himself centrally on the edge of the penalty area during a quick counterattack and thundering the ball into the net with the help of the underside of the crossbar - 1-0 (11').

After a quarter of an hour, Sörloth could have made it 2-0, but the Norwegian fired the ball well over the bar from close range (15'). Shortly after, Musovski had a great chance to equalize, but Seattle's strikers lost their nerve (17'). Atletico played dangerously up front, but also repeatedly conceded opportunities at the back.

After Simeone, who had already spoken about the referees after the opening game , was annoyed about an Atletico penalty being revoked by the VAR, it was already half time.

The start of the second half again belonged to the La Liga heavyweight: Llorente thundered the ball onto the crossbar from the far post, Le Normand quickly cut in from the byline – and former Dortmund player Witsel pushed the ball over the line (47'). But Seattle had an immediate response: After a simple cross from the left, Atletico's back line was completely out of sync, and Rusnak coolly fired home to level the score (50').

But then Barrios had his special day. After a throw-in, Sörloth cleverly extended the ball to the far post, where Barrios calmly fired into the top right corner (55'). Shortly afterward, Alvarez almost sealed the victory, but his sensational volley hit the woodwork – Atletico's third goal of the game (61').

stadium	Lumen Field
Viewers	51,636