As FC Barcelona prepare to take on Atletico Madrid, we take a brief look at the last ten games that the treble winners have played at the Vicente Calderon.
Barcelona have remained unbeaten at the Calderon since the 2009/10 season, before which, it is fair to say it was their bogey ground.
The Catalans have won half their games at the Calderon over the last 10 seasons. Their records show that they won five, lost four and drew another over the last ten years.
1. 2005-06
FC Barcelona won the league as well as the Champions League that season, but Atletico Madrid pulled a double over the Catalans that year.
Atletico’s home game saw them reduced to 10 men in the 67th minutes, but they held on to goals from Fernando Torres and Mateja Kezmen to beat Barca 2-1, who had taken the lead through an Eto’o goal in the 6th minute.
2. 2006-07
Barca thrashed Atletico 6-0 in their only win at the Vicente Calderon between seasons 2001-02 and 2010-11, thanks to a Messi brace and goals from Ronaldinho, Xavi, Zambrotta and Samuel Eto’o.
3. 2007-08
Fernando Torres may have left, but Forlan, Maxi and a brace from Aguero ensured the Madrid side avenged their 3-0 Camp Nou loss from earlier in the season. Goals from Ronaldinho and Eto’o were not enough as Atletico once again got the better of Barcelona at the Calderon. Frank Rijkaard was sacked as the manager, as Real beat Barcelona to the title.
4. 2008-09
Pep Guardiola’s men won a famous treble, before going on to complete a sextuple in the following season, but could not overcome Atletico at the Vicente Calderon as they lost 4-3. Henry, Messi and Dani Alves scored goals that were not enough for the Blaugrana.
5. 2009-10
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New season, same old story. FC Barcelona suffered their fourth loss in five years at the Calderon as a solitary goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic was not enough to beat Atletico Madrid, who scored twice in the opening 25 minutes to win the game.
6. 2010-11
The first of three 2-1 wins saw the Catalans finally turn their fortune around at the Vicente Calderon. Piqu scored the winning goal after Raul Garcia had cancelled out an early Lionel Messi goal. Barcelona had tasted blood. They would go on to win the next four of the five games at the Calderon and still remain unbeaten at the ground.
7. 2011-12
Simeone took charge of Atletico Madrid in December, but Kun Aguero had left Atletico Madrid for Manchester City by then. Radamel Falcao was more than an able replacement as Atletico continued their modern tradition of having a top quality no.9 in the side. Falcao was on target, but in vain, as goals from Lionel Messi and Dani Alves proved enough for the Catalans to go home with all three points with their second of three 2-1 wins in succession.
8. 2012-13
FC Barcelona had a new manager in Tito Villanova as Pep Guardiola called it quits with the Catalan giants. Barca continued their winning form at the Calderon as they beat Simeone’s Atletico 2-1, courtesy of a late own goal from Gabi. Earlier Falcao had equalized after Dani Alves had given Barcelona the lead. Villanova and his Barca boys went on to win the league.
9. 2013-14
Following the unfortunate news of the detection of cancer for Villanova, the club appointed Argentine Tata Martino as their new manager. This was the year, Atletico finally returned to the promised land with Diego Simeone guiding them to their first league title since the 1995-96 season. This is also the only time since 2009/10 that Atletico have been able to avoid a defeat at the hands of the Blaugrana as they held on to a 0-0 draw.
10. 2014-15
Barcelona again had a new manager in Luis Enrique after Tata Martino was sacked following a disappointing season in charge. Enrique guided the Catalans to a second treble in six years and also beat Atletico 1-0 at the Vicente Calderon courtesy of Lionel Messi.