Atletico Madrid will look to make it three wins in a row in La Liga when they hit the road to face defending champions Barcelona.
Barcelona are all set to host Atletico Madrid in what promises to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Both teams are in the top four, and they are well in the race for the league title. The result of this fixture could end up being a huge boost for either of the sides.
The reigning champions are currently fourth in La Liga with 31 points out of their 14 matches. They have won nine of their fixtures while playing out a draw on four occasions. Their only defeat of this league season came at the hands of Real Madrid, that too at home.
Barcelona will look to ensure they put up a better performance against Diego Simeone’s team. The Blaugrana are heading into this fixture on the back of an important 2-1 win over FC Porto in the Champions League. They were the better team on the night and ended up with all three points.
Atletico Madrid are currently third in the points table with 31 points out of their 13 outings. They are four points behind league leaders Real Madrid but do have a game in hand. Simeone’s men have won ten of their 13 matches, and their form suggests they will make life difficult for the Catalan giants.
Simeone’s team have won each of their last four outings in all competitions, and they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 3-1 win over Feyenoord. It was an easy win for the Colchoneros, and they will look for a similar performance against Barcelona. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Barcelona
Xavi Hernandez will be without the services of Gavi for this fixture. Meanwhile, Marc-Andre ter Stegen has not recovered from the back injury he picked up during the international break, meaning Inaki Pena is expected to continue in goal.
Training Session + Media Day ✅
The countdown to #BarçaAtleti! pic.twitter.com/G8n814IJ2J— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 2, 2023
The hosts will stick to the 4-3-3 formation, and they are unlikely to make any changes to the XI that started in their last outing. Pena will continue in goal and the back four will be Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Inigo Martínez and Joao Cancelo.
Araujo will take charge on the right flank, while Cancelo will feature as a left-back. Martinez will pair up with Kounde in the heart of the defence. Former Manchester City skipper Ilkay Gundogan will have the support of Frenkie de Jong and Pedri in the centre of the park. The trio will look to control the majority of the ball possession and dictate the pace of this game.
Joao Felix is allowed to feature against his parent club, and he will continue on the left flank, while Raphinha will start on the right. Finally, star striker Robert Lewandowski will lead the line for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pena; Araujo, Kounde, I Martinez, Cancelo; Pedri, Gundogan, De Jong; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Felix
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone will be without the services of Pablo Barrios, Thomas Lemar and Vitolo. Meanwhile, they do have a boost, as Memphis Depay and Reinildo are back fit.
🎙️ Koke
❝We are in high spirits and looking forward to winning in Barcelona❞. pic.twitter.com/0dq0oh1our
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) December 1, 2023
Simeone will stick to the 3-5-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. The back three will consist of Jose Maria Gimenez, Axel Witsel and Mario Hermoso. The trio will look to stop the star-studded Barcelona attack, and they have the support of Nahuel Molina and Rodrigo Riquelme, who will feature as the wing-backs.
Riquelme was sensational in their last outing, and that is why he is expected to keep his place in the XI. Rodrigo De Paul will start alongside Koke and Saul Niguez in the centre of the park. The trio will try to ensure Barcelona do not end up dominating the ball in midfield. Finally, the in-from duo of Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann will start up top.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Oblak; Gimenez, Witsel, Hermoso; Molina, De Paul, Saul, Koke, Riquelme; Morata, Griezmann
Key Stats
- Barcelona have won 108 out of the 240 matches played against Atletico Madrid, while the visitors only have 76 victories to their name.
- Barcelona have won their last three league games against Los Rojiblancos since Xavi took charge.
- Diego Simeone’s team have been winless in their last 17 away league matches against Barcelona.
- The Catalan giants have already lost to Real Madrid at home and if they lose to Atletico Madrid, it will be the third time in history they lose to both Madrid powerhouses at home in the same season.
- Barcelona have won nine out of their 14 matches in La Liga. They have only won the league once out of the seven occasions when they had similar numbers after 14 matches.
Player to Watch
Antoine Griezmann
Griezmann has been in sensational form in the ongoing season, and if Atletico Madrid are to beat Barcelona in their own backyard, the French international has to fire. In his 18 outings this season, the former Barcelona player has scored 13 goals while bagging an assist.
He has formed a deadly partnership up top with Alvaro Morata, and the duo will cause serious problems for Barcelona. Griezmann stood out in their win over Real Madrid a few weeks back, and Simeone will hope he does it once again for his team.
Prediction
Barcelona 2-3 Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone’s team have not won any of their last 17 away matches against Barcelona. They struggle away from home against the Catalan giants. The overall record suggests Xavi’s team have the upper hand.
But, this time around, things will be much closer. Both teams are in fine form, and the result will depend on who handles the pressure better on the day. It will be a closely fought encounter, but in the end, Simeone’s team might come out on top. The Hard Tackle predicts a high-scoring thriller where the Madrid-based club will come out on top with a scoreline of 3-2.
