Atletico Madrid will be without new signing Daniel Wass for several weeks after the Danish international suffered a knee injury - and played on for several minutes after Diego Simeone appeared to demand he re-enter the match anyway against Barcelona.
The versatile performer was signed from Valencia toward the end of the January transfer window, partly as a replacement for the Newcastle-bound Kieran Trippier.
He didn’t have long to wait for his debut, entering as a half-time substitute with the reigning LaLiga champions behind at the Camp Nou, but suffered a painful collision with Ferran Torres just as the clock ticked over the 90-minute mark, with six minutes of additional time signalled to be played in what was an eventual 4-2 win for Barca.
While the Atleti medical staff then proceeded to start checks on the stability of his knee on the touchline, head coach Simeone, having used all his subs by this time, walked over to call Wass back to his feet for the closing stages - then actively took his player’s hand to lift him back up and wave him onto the pitch.
Wass did then attempt to play on and made a couple of runs to keep up with play, but he was clearly in enormous discomfort and after making a pass shortly afterward, was left barely able to walk or turn. At full-time, he was left on the ground unable to walk off initially, with team-mates Angel Correa and Stefan Savic heading to his aid after the whistle.
On Monday the club confirmed he had suffered “a sprain of the internal lateral ligament of his right knee”, with estimates suggesting he faces up to eight weeks on the sidelines.
Days earlier he had labelled it a “dream” to have sealed a switch to the Wanda Metropolitano, after playing over 150 games with Valencia.
While it was a disappointing debut for Wass, two of Barcelona’s own new arrivals had a happier time of matters.
Adama Traore, signed on loan from Wolves with an option to buy, assisted Barca’s second goal with a fine run and cross from the right for Gavi to head in. Earlier, fellow recent arrival Dani Alves had turned back the clocks by setting up Jordi Alba for a wicked volley into the top corner - and Alves himself wrapped up Barcelona’s goalscoring by hammering in a low fourth. Ronaldo Araujo also scored from close range.
Former Barca hero Luis Suarez headed in a consolation for Atletico, who had taken the lead in the match early on through Yannick Carrasco.
The result sees Barcelona leapfrog Atletico into the Champions League places, Xavi’s team now two points ahead of Simeone’s side with 16 games to play.
