Barcelona 4-2 Atletico Madrid: Catalan Giants ease to victory against Diego Simeone's side in six-goal thriller to go fourth in LaLiga, with Jordi Alba, Gavi, Ronald Araujo and Dani Alves all on target for the hosts before the latter is then SENT OFF

Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid were torn apart by a marauding Barcelona who played their best football since Xavi took over in a rollercoaster 4-2 win at the Nou Camp on Saturday afternoon.

The six goals alone would have been enough but this game had so much more. A sensational first half from Wolves loanee Adama Traore, the best goal Jordi Alba has ever scored followed by one of the best that Dani Alves has managed. A red card for the Brazilian, and another red for Xavi’s brother and assistant Oscar Hernandez.

Diego Simeone had tried to wind up his opposite number pre-match saying: Xavi once said that Atletico’s style was not for big teams. Now he has the opportunity to show the football he wants. He has eight new players for his front three.’

Barcelona were comfortable winners as they defeated Atletico Madrid 4-1 at the Nou Camp

It’s true Barcelona’s winter market activity was very top heavy with all the money spent on attackers. But if they play like this until the end of the season the boldness will pay-off. 

As for Atletico Madrid, it will be hard to make the Champions League with such awful defending. It will be hard to stay in it too when they face Manchester United this month.

They had not conceded three goals in a first half of a game since 2015. That was also against Barcelona – a very different Barça but then this is a very different Atletico Madrid, incapable of defending consistently well.

First it was the veteran full-backs linking up to score. Dani Alves and Jordi Alba have 70 years between them but they were the brightest sparks on the pitch when the Brazilian picked out the Spain international who volleyed into the top corner cancelling out Yannick Carrasco’s opener.

He’s never scored a better goal and it’s hard to remember a more enthusiastic celebration either. He gestured for his critics to stop talking about him as he raced away on his own to the halfway line.

Debutant Adama made the next when for the second time in the opening 20 minutes he tricked his way around Mario Hermoso. He crossed for Gavi – the smallest player on the pitch – to lift his 5ft 6ins frame high above the Atletico defence to score.

Atletico had brough two new full-backs in the winter window but neither Daniel Wass nor Reinildo Mandava started and it was Hermoso who had been beaten on one flank and Vrsaliko seond best in the air to Gabi in the area.

Atletico flapped at the back again when Carrasco, now back at wing-back to stop the effect of Adama on the game, gave the ball back to Oblak and he was robbed by the Wolves winger whose over enthusiastic cross shot went out for a throw.

Adama was having a dream first game back at Barça and another mazy run across the pitch brought the Camp Nou to its feet.

Ronaldo Araujo got the third as Alves crossed for Pique to head on to the crossbar. From the rebound Ferran Torres sliced his acrobatic kick but it dropped to Araujo who found the gap between Oblak and his near post.

All this after Atletico had taken the lead on eight minutes when Koke pinged the ball out to Suarez who crossed for Carrasco to score. Alba and Araujo had both been second best in failing to keep Atletico out but had more than made up for it before the break.

At the restart things got worse for Atletico when Dani Alves thundered in the fourth from the edge of the area after running, unattended, on to a loose ball. His celebration was even better than Alba’s standing before the main stand arms outstretched as his name echoed around the stadium.

Simeone made three changes immediately and it was Joao Felix who he took off leaving Suarez on. Barcelona’s third all-time top scorer headed in Atletico’s second with his next chance.

Jose Gimenez headed Rodrigo de Paul’s corner down and Suarez glanced it past Ter Stegen. His name had been applauded by Barcelona supporters before the game and he did not celebrate.

If Atletico thought they were back in it then there was another reason to believe when man of the moment Alves had that broad grin wiped off of his face by a straight red for a studs down the calf foul on Carrasco.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on by now and he would be Barça’s out ball as they tried to hang on with 15 minutes left. The home side might have gone down to nine but Frenkie de Jong was shown just yellow for a wide challenge on Angel Correa.

Simeone ran into Xavi’s technical area to retrieve a ball that had gone out of play as Atletico tried to beat the clock with two more goals. Tempers were flaring on the benches, particularly the Barca one. And when Aubameyang felt he had been pulled back by Wass, Xavi’s brother Oscar was shown a red card for dissent. Xavi was next to complain and referee Jesus Gil charged across to show him the yellow.

Wass body-checked Aubameyang the next time he tried to race away and this time he was booked and so was Hector Herrera for a flailing arm into Sergio Busquets face. The offence was inside the area and so should have been a penalty.

Xavi was fuming on the sidelines but after six minutes of added time he was celebrating. Barcelona are back in the Champions League places, Atletico Madrid, in constant defensive disarray, are not.