FC Barcelona face a demanding run of fixtures after the break, especially with a triple clash against Atlético Madrid, coming almost back-to-back. Barça will take on Atleti in three of their next four matches (April 4, 8 and 14), with only the derby against Espanyol (sandwiched between the second and third encounters) breaking up the sequence of battles against the Madrid side.

Over the past 15 years, runs like this haven’t been common… but there are a few precedents.

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Four Clásicos in six games...

The most famous example came against Real Madrid in the 2010/11 season, between April and May.

The first Clásico, in La Liga, ended 1–1, a result that kept Barça firmly on track for the title. The second, the Copa del Rey final, went Madrid’s way. Then came the iconic Champions League semi-finals: a 2-0 win at the Bernabéu, with Leo Messi’s unforgettable brace, followed by a 1–1 draw at Spotify Camp Nou to seal Barça’s place in the Wembley final.

  • 16/04/2011 - Real Madrid 1-1 Barça (Liga).
  • 20/04/2011 - Barça 0-1 Real Madrid (Copa).
  • 23/04/2011 - Barça 2-0 Osasuna.
  • 27/04/2011 - Real Madrid 0-2 Barça (UCL).
  • 30/04/2011 - Real Sociedad 2-1 Barça.
  • 03/05/2011 - Barça 1-1 Real Madrid (UCL).
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Málaga and Levante too

Similar sequences also occurred against Málaga in the 2012/13 season, in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, shortly after a league meeting between the two sides. Barça came through the tie successfully.

  • 13/01/2013 - Málaga 1-3 Barça (Liga).
  • 16/01/2013 - Barça 2-2 Málaga (Copa).
  • 19/01/2013 - Real Sociedad 3-2 Barça.
  • 24/01/2013 - Málaga 2-4 Barça (Copa). 

The following season, a similar run came against Levante (again in the Copa quarter-finals) combined with a league fixture.

  • 19/01/2014 - Levante 1-1 Barça (Liga).
  • 22/01/2014 - Levante 1-4 Barça (Copa).
  • 26/01/2014 - Barça 3-0 Málaga.
  • 29/01/2014 - Barça 5-1 Levante (Copa).
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Triple triple in 2015/16

In the 2015/16 season, this kind of sequence happened no fewer than three times.

First, at the start of the campaign, Barça faced Athletic Club three times around the Spanish Super Cup — which ultimately went to the Basques — just before the league opener.

  • 14/08/2015 - Athletic Club 4-0 Barça (Super Cup).
  • 17/08/2015 - Barça 1-1 Athletic Club (Super Cup).
  • 23/08/2015 - Athletic Club 0-1 Barça (Liga).

Later, at the start of 2016, came three clashes with Espanyol. Barça advanced in the Copa del Rey, but were held to a draw in the league.

  • 02/01/2016 - Espanyol 0-0 Barça (Liga).
  • 06/01/2016 - Barça 4-1 Espanyol (Copa).
  • 09/01/2016 - Barça 4-0 Granada.
  • 13/01/2016 - Espanyol 0-2 Barça (Copa).
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And then, in the quarter-finals, another triple showdown (once again against Athletic Club) with Barça winning all three.

  • 17/01/2016 - Barça 6-0 Athletic Club (Liga).
  • 20/01/2016 - Athletic Club 1-2 Barça (Copa).
  • 23/01/2016 - Málaga 1-2 Barça.
  • 27/01/2016 - Barça 3-1 Athletic Club (Copa).

Now, Barça are set to take on another intense trilogy, this time against Atlético Madrid.

Força Barça