With the league wide open for everyone, Atletico Madrid will host FC Barcelona in a tough encounter at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Key Takeaways
- Atletico Madrid have got best home form in LaLiga this season
- FC Barcelona have won last four games against Atletico Madrid
- Atletico Madrid haven't kept clean sheets in last 6 games
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona may be far from the top spot at the moment, but much remains to play for. Atletico Madrid are in fourth position with just a two-point lead over fifth place Athletic Bilbao. However, with an eight-point difference from Real Madrid, Barcelona can make a comeback.
Atletico Madrid Form
Despite not being in the headlines often, Atletico Madrid proves that they are a dangerous side every now and then. Atletico Madrid made a stunning comeback against Inter in the last match, proving why they have such a big name in European football. Their performance throughout the season may not be entirely satisfactory, but they tend to rise up at the end.
Atletico has only won one out of its last five league matches, and they need to show consistency or Athletic Bilbao may expel them from the Champions League next season. Surprisingly, they have no goalscoring problems this season, but their defence has been poor.
FC Barcelona Form
FC Barcelona had high expectations for the season, but things haven't gone so well for them either. However, with the business end of the tournament coming up, Barcelona have a lot at stake. It can serve as a practice run for them in the semifinals of the Champions League against Atletico Madrid.
With ten games to go, the eight-point lead is not too big, so they're not completely out of reach of the league title. In order for Barcelona to save the season and provide something to their fans to cheer for, Xavi's side must be clinical. Goal scoring has been the biggest problem for them, and Robert Lewandowski has to step up.
Head-to-Head
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are two of the biggest Spanish sides and their game is always a big headline. However, despite their big stature, Barcelona dominated the head to head. In the last 38 games, Barcelona have won 22 while Atletico have only won 5.
Team News
Barcelona’s struggles this season have been mainly due to injuries this season and at the moment as well, they are dealing with six names. Balde, Torres, De Jong, Gavi, Pedri and Alonso are out for this game.
Atletico Madrid have some serious absentees to deal with as Jose Gimenez is out due to muscle injury, leaving a big void in defence. Apart from him, Paulo, Lemar and Vitolo are out with injury.
Key Players
Griezmann has been the star of Atletico's attack and he has been at his best again this season. His partnership with Morata has been key to their success, and especially against Barcelona, his form will determine the team's fate. He scored 11 goals from 24 games and added 6 assists.
In the summer, Ilkay Gundogan was signed with high expectations, and he has kept up to them. Gundogan has been leading the team in midfield despite the team's struggles. Gundogan has a crucial role to play in this big match with Pedri, Gavi, and De Jong out of action.
Final Thoughts
This match is considered by many to be a favorite for Atletico, even though Barcelona is in better shape in the league table. As Pedri, Gavi, and De Jong are injured, Barcelona will have some extra work to do. Atletico will be in high spirits after their remarkable win over Inter.
LaLiga
UEFA Champions League