The final whistle sounded and the sun set behind Camp Nou. Barcelona had just beaten Atletico Madrid and the 75,000 souls of Blaugrana persuasion were happy indeed as they made their way out of the stadium and back toward the centre of the city.
Football Espana was one of them, attending the game and enjoying a partidazo de verdad. Barcelona won 4-2 and played some superb football. They had gone one down in the eighth minute when Yannick Carrasco scored but Jordi Alba equalised two minutes later and the hosts never looked back after that.
It was a real golazo, too. Dani Alves floated the ball out left for the Catalan whose first-time volley sailed past Jan Oblak and into the back of the net. Gavi made it 2-1 in the 21st minute after being assisted by debutant Adama Traore before big Ronald Araujo made it 3-1 two minutes before half-time.
Alves turned goleador four minutes into the second half, stabbing home an effort from just outside the box to register the first goal of his second spell at Barcelona. The Brazilian was quite simply a level above everyone else on the pitch until he was sent off in the 69th minute for a woeful challenge. His 38-year-old legs aren’t what they were, but on the ball he had no equal.
Constantly speaking with Xavi Hernandez on the touchline and stepping into midfield from his ostensible starting position of right-back, he operated with a sense of leadership and personality that was a veritable joy to see. His re-signing was a smart move.
But he did see red and that wasn’t the only bum note on a dramatic night. Luis Suarez, returning to Camp Nou for the first time since supporters were allowed back into stadiums, scored a typical poacher’s effort two minutes shy of the hour mark to set up a final third that was a lot nervier than it should have been.
But it was to prove a mere consolation and Barcelona took all three points to climb above Atletico in the table and move within just two points of third-placed Real Betis, who lost 2-0 to Villarreal later in the evening at the Benito Villamarin.
It felt significant. Adama and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both made their debuts while Frenkie de Jong, a topic of much debate in recent times, dropped a low-key masterclass to show that when used properly he can still be a real asset to Xavi’s midfield.
Barcelona are now looking ahead rather than over their shoulders as they prepare for the final stretch of the season. As well as La Liga they’re still alive in the Europa League, with a knockout tie against Napoli on the horizon. After some dire football in recent times their supporters were thrilled to finally be entertained.
Because Xavi quite clearly has got the Blaugrana moving in the right direction and restored a sense of excitement and anticipation amongst the masses. When you walk the streets of the Catalan capital you really get a sense of just how unique and big a club like Barcelona is. There’s an energy to the city, a certain dynamic bohemianism, and that’s channelled by the club.
Or at least it is now. Xavi’s brother and assistant coach, Oscar Hernandez, was sent off at one stage for remonstrating with the referee. Xavi himself cut a lithe and intense figure on the touchline, contrasting with the uncharacteristically deflated Diego Simeone in the opposite dugout. Xavi knows he’s living a unique moment in his life and is determined to make it count.
And as the crowd returned to the centre of the city just as the sun was setting over the Mediterranean Sea, one felt he will. Football Espana hitched up at a lovely, character-filled bar in El Born to nurse a caña and reflect on the performance, as well as debate what the future holds for Barcelona. The general consensus amongst those present is that it’s finally looking a lot brighter.