LaLiga 2019/2020: Atletico Madrid 0-1 Barcelona - 5 Talking Points

#4 Joao Felix struggles to shine

Felix was on the peripheries of the game

Joao Felix was made the most expensive player in Atletico Madrid's history and the sixth-costliest player of all time when the Spanish side paid Benfica the sum of €126m to price him away from Portugal.

The 20-year-old had shone for The Eagles last season, scoring 20 goals in all competitions to help Benfica to the Primeira Liga last season and with Griezmann departing the club, fans of Atletico Madrid expected that the Portuguese international would help fill the void left behind by Griezmann.

However, it has been a slow start for Felix and despite showing flashes of his brilliance, his output in front of goal has been beneath par and his total return of just three goals from 13 matches this season helps buttress this fact.

He suffered an injury setback recently, but was awarded the Golden Boy award as the best player under the age of 21 but critics felt he was an undeserving winner, with Sancho favored in the eyes of many.

When Barcelona came to town, it offered the perfect opportunity for Felix to silence his detractors and show that he belongs on the big stage, but sadly, the opportunity passed him by.

For the entirety of his time on the field, he was nothing more than a passer-by and it came as no major surprise when Diego Simeone hauled him off for Vitolo and despite his vociferous complaints at being substituted, on closer introspection, Felix would know that he did not do enough.