PREVIEW | FC Barcelona v Atlético Madrid
There are few Liga games as attractive as clashes between FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, and that's what we've got at Spotify Camp Nou this Tuesday at 9pm CET in a fixture brought forward due to the participation of both clubs in the Spanish Super Cup in January.
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Top of the league
Blaugrana, Catalans, Hansi Flick's men... Those are just three of the synonyms frequently used in football writing to avoid over-repetition of the word 'Barça' in the same text. And since Sunday we have a new one to add to the list: league leaders. Yes, following Real Madrid's 1-1 draw at Girona, the league leaders (how nice does that sound?) have 34 points compared to the all-whites' 33.
But defending that position is not going to be easy. Things are very tight at the top. Villarreal have having a fine season and are breathing right down the top twos' neck with 32 points, and just one behind them we find Atlético Madrid.
In fact, if Atlético were to win on Tuesday, they would join Barça on 34 points. The mission for Hansi Flick and his players is to make sure that doesn't happen, and instead put a reassuring six points between themselves and a very direct rival in the trophy chase.
Atlético in form
After losing two league games in October, November went fully to plan for Barça on the domestic front with four wins out of four, including last Saturday's fightback to beat Alavés 3-1 thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo (2).
But Atlético have been quietly going about getting their own job done in the background. After they lost to Espanyol on the opening day and then drew their next two games, one could have been forgiven for assuming that the mattress-makers were anything but title material this season. But they haven't lost a single game since, and come to Barcelona having won six on the trot, conceding just a single goal in the process.
Diego Simeone's sides are known for being built on defensive strength, and the class of 2025-26 is proving to be no exception. Their record of just 11 goals conceded is the best in the competition.
Jan Oblak is as important as ever for the red-and-whites, and even without the injured Le Normand, and with question marks over the fitness of Marcos Llorente too, finding a way through is going to be a mighty challenge for the Barça frontline this Tuesday.
And Atlético are hardly short of options in attack either. Julián Álvarez (7 goals), former blaugrana Antoine Griezmann and Norwegian international Alexander Sørloth (with 4 each) are their top marksmen this season. With the likes of Nico González, Baena, Giuliano Simeone and Pablo Barrios around them, Atlético is an opponent to be taken very seriously indeed.
Recent meetings
Older fans will remember the days when Barça v Atlético games were almost guaranteed classics, consistently producing high drama and goals galore. That has changed in recent years, and battles against Simeone, who has spent a decade and half in charge of today's guests, have typically been tense, low-scoring affairs.
Last season's encounters were a return to the unpredictable spectacles of the bygone era. Atlético ended Barça's run of five consecutive wins by defeating the Catalans at their home ground for the first time since 2006. It was an infuriating game for Culers, with Barça on top throughout yet succumbing to two freak goals, one in the dying seconds of injury time.
In the return at the Metropolitano, Atlético led by two with 20 minutes to go before Barça slammed home four late goals to win 4-2, a simply extraordinary match and a key moment in an ultimately successful title bid.
The sides also met in the cup semi-finals, and at the Estadi Olimpic Barça again battled back from 2-0 down to lead 4-2 before Atlético struck twice in the dying minutes to claim a 4-4 draw. A Solitary goal from Ferran Torres would prove sufficient to win the second leg and earn Barça¡s passage into the final.
Team news
Barça go into this latest episode in the saga with Ter Stegen, Gavi and Fermín all injured, which is certainly problematic but the injury list is a lot shorter than it has been in previous weeks. Hansi Flick also confirmed in his pre-game conference that Ronald Araújo is unready to play and will be left out. The German coach will also have to deal with the additional loss of Frenkie de Jong, who has a fever and is a last.minute dropout.
"We know we are playing against a fantastic team, with a lot of quality and one of the best in Europe" said the German. "It will be a difficult game and although we are leaders and very happy to be, we know that we are still not at our best level and we need to work hard to play better football."