The return of Arthur Melo to the Barcelona midfield on Saturday night was one of the main reasons why the Blaugrana’s performance against Real Madrid was so much better.
Despite the smaller scoreline, Ernesto Valverde’s side put in an improved display compared to the one that we saw in the Copa del Rey just three days before.
After recovering from a hamstring injury, the Brazilian was brought back in to the starting line-up after starting Wednesday’s game on the bench.
With Arthur in the team, Barcelona were able to keep possession and dominate for large parts of the game.
The midfielder’s return comes at a key stage in the season for the Catalan club, with their return leg against Lyon in the Champions League just over a week away.