Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid: Three key players to look out for

The Hard Tackle lists three players who can singlehandedly influence the upcoming La Liga game between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

The title race in La Liga seemingly looked dead in the water for a few weeks. But with Barcelona seeing the lead over Real Madrid coming down to eight points ahead of Sunday, Atletico Madrid will have the chance to blow the battle open again when the two teams meet at Spotify Camp Nou.

Barcelona seemed to be cruising to the league title after capitalising on Real Madrid’s slip-ups since the turn of the year. The Blaugrana also beat Los Blancos to widen the gap at the top of the table. But back-to-back goalless draws have seen them drop the ball slightly. So the upcoming game against Atletico Madrid has become crucial for them.

Speaking of Atletico Madrid, the Colchoneros are the most in-form team in Spain, last losing a game in January. Since then, they have embarked on an 11-match unbeaten run, dropping points just twice. And if Diego Simeone’s men beat Barcelona on Sunday, they might become outside contenders to win the title.

So with Sunday’s match having high stakes, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid cannot afford to drop points. With that in mind, The Hard Tackle lists three players who can singlehandedly affect the tie on Sunday with their performances.

Ansu Fati

Our list begins with a player who is desperate to regain his top form and footing at his club. Injury issues have plagued him in the last few years, thus affecting his performance levels considerably. We are, of course, talking about Ansu Fati.

The 20-year-old has been in and out of the side throughout the season. And Xavi Hernandez has been cautious with the youngster this term while not preferring to bank on him. But it is worth noting that Fati was one of the protagonists in Barcelona’s last win before the recent three-game winless run.

Fati showed in that game that he still has unpredictability in his game. And with the Spanish international likely to return to the starting lineup on Sunday, he will have a golden opportunity to make his mark. At the same time, his performance will be under the scanner by suitors like Chelsea and Manchester United.

With nearly every opponent looking to crowd Robert Lewandowski, Fati can take the chance to find pockets of space to exploit. And if he rises to the occasion, Barcelona will likely get past Atletico Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday.

Antoine Griezmann

Our list for the game has a Barcelona flavour to it. And as we move to the next candidate, one can notice that he, too, has an association with the Catalan club. The player in question is the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner and former Barcelona attacker Antoine Griezmann.

The French international endured a frustrating stint with the Blaugrana, failing to hit the heights of his first spell with Atletico Madrid. And after two seasons of unfulfilled potential, he returned to his former stomping ground before rediscovering his best touch.

Griezmann took some time to get going at Atletico Madrid last season. But as 2021/22 approached its final weeks, he was back to his best. And the veteran attacker duly completed a permanent move back to the Civitas Metropolitano earlier this season. So much so that his contributions have earned more points than any other player in La Liga this season.

The 32-year-old will have a point to prove on Sunday after failing to impress Barcelona fans in his ill-fated spell with the Blaugrana. And considering he is one of the most in-form players in the division, you can bank on Griezmann to stamp his authority and help guide Atletico Madrid to a big win this weekend.

Robert Lewandowski

The list for Sunday’s game ends with a player who has lost his touch in the last few weeks. And while he is still finding ways to beat opposition goalkeepers, the consistency in his game is nowhere to be seen. We are talking about Robert Lewandowski.

The Polish striker is on course to win the Pichichi Trophy at the first time of asking. But a tally of 17 league goals at this stage of a season is uncharacteristic of Robert Lewandowski. And while Karim Benzema is closing in on him, he will fancy his chances of finishing the campaign as the top scorer in La Liga.

But Lewandowski has not been at his best in the biggest games. He was recently anonymous in the heavy defeat to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey while failing to inspire Barcelona to a win over Manchester United in February. So the 34-year-old will have a point to prove on Sunday.

The former Bayern Munich striker has not found the back of the net in his last three outings, which is unbecoming of him. But if Lewandowski rises to the occasion and beats Jan Oblak, he will likely push Barcelona over the line against Atletico Madrid. In addition, he can also bring the other attackers into the game by pulling the opposition defenders out of position. A big game beckons.