After missing the perfect opportunity to score in just his second bout with Barcelona, Adama Traore beat his fists on the Camp Nou pitch—despite the miss, the home crowd immediately roared in support as the newcomer from Wolverhampton FC quickly got back up and continued to wreak havoc on the Atletico Madrid defense. Traore’s return to his childhood club comes more than eight years after he came on as a substitute against Granada FC in 2013. Despite trying to make the most out of his brief stint with the Spanish giants then, Traore’s crusade was cut short. The Spanish winger soon signed a contract with Aston Villa and joined the English Premier League, a new type of competition that would develop Traore’s physicality, game intelligence, and overall vision on the pitch. In just three years, Traore had become the starting winger under Nuno Santo at Wolverhampton and had developed into one of the most threatening attackers in the Premier League.
At the start of Barcelona’s crucial league match against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, Traore was welcomed back by the faithful fans with massive cheers and chants, as fans anticipated the newcomer’s contributions against their La Liga rivals. Traore did not disappoint: in the opening minutes of the game, Traore made his first touch of the night by tricking his way past Atletico’s Mario Hermoso and earning a free kick. Though Luis Suarez and Yannick Carrasco’s beautiful combination play made it 1-0 for the visitors, Traore’s persistent presence in the midfield region created multiple opportunities for Barcelona to bounce back. Two minutes after Carrasco’s opener, Traore glided past Hermoso again and built the foundation for Barcelona’s equalizer by forcing a crisp ball into the penalty area. A few minutes later, Traore dribbled by the hapless Hermoso once more and provided a pinpoint cross for youngster Gavi, who, with the help of Atletico’s atrocious defending, scored a comfortable header to put Barcelona in front. At this point, Traore dominated the opponents. Every time he had ball possession, infectious adrenaline surged through the arena. Every touch left Atletico vulnerable. One moment, he was crafting one-two plays with Dani Alves down the wing; minutes later, Traore was sprinting across the edge of the opposition box for a shot at goal. The Barcelona ace only needed 20 minutes to prove his worth and silence those who questioned his ability to adapt under Xavi’s high-pressure playing style.
So why does Traore fit in so well at Barcelona? Fussing over the raw numbers and statistics completely misses the point of just how influential Traore can be in unlocking games and opening up spaces all over the field. Despite the lineup of experienced attackers such as Luuk de Jong or Memphis Depay and a solid group of defending veterans, Xavi’s side lacks the aggressiveness and pace in the midfield area. Without a player that brings a sense of direction, Barcelona struggled to create room for creativity and fell victim to fast-paced counter-attacks. Thus, the decision to target Traore as well as Manchester City’s Ferran Torres was calculated: the incoming duo would control the tempo of the game and provide verticality in the wing positions. In the first few minutes of the game, Traore showed a mature realization of the situation and kept it simple by quickly moving the ball across the pitch to generate extra space. The patience paid off as Traore gradually started to execute one-two plays, forcing Atletico’s Simeone to constantly make changes to strategy. Barcelona concluded the evening with a 4-2 victory, and Traore was given a standing ovation by the fans.
This match against Atletico Madrid was easily the best since Xavi’s arrival or Messi’s departure. The three important points lifted Barcelona up into fourth place, and if Barca maintains this momentum, they will certainly be back in the Champions League next season. The 90 minutes at Camp Nou was a bold statement, and Traore was undoubtedly the catalyst.
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