Atletico Madrid might not be a part of the title race, but they will look at this league fixture as the dress rehearsal for their Champions League quarter-final tie against Barcelona. This rivalry is set to define both clubs’ seasons this time around.
Atletico have already knocked Barcelona out of the Copa del Rey, now they have the chance to dent their hopes of retaining the La Liga title. They could also knock them out of the UCL, with both clubs set to go up against each other next week, with the first leg to be played at Camp Nou.
The home team are fourth in La Liga with 57 points in their 29 outings. While they are 16 points behind the leaders, Diego Simeone’s team do have a 13-point cushion over the team in fifth. So the result of this fixture won’t have a big impact on their season.
However, they will certainly look to get back to winning ways, having lost to Real Madrid prior to the international break. More importantly, a win here could be a massive boost for them ahead of the UCL tie.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have everything to play for heading into this fixture. They are top of La Liga with 70 points in their 29 outings. They have a four-point cushion over 2nd-placed Real Madrid, but a defeat here could reduce that to just one.
Not only will they look to avenge that Copa del Rey loss, but the Catalan giants will also look to create a psychological edge over their rivals ahead of the Champions League quarter-finals.
The two teams will be facing each other on three occasions in their next four games. Given the importance of all these fixtures, the fans are certainly in for a treat. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Diego Simeone will be without the services of Marcos Llorente (suspended), Johnny Cardoso (suspended) and Pablo Barrios (thigh), while Jan Oblak (hip), Marc Pubill (rib), Rodrigo Mendoza (ankle) and Alexander Sorloth (head) are major doubts for this outing.
The home team will stick to the 4-4-2 formation, where Juan Musso will feature in goal. Nahuel Molina and David Ruggeri will be the full-backs, while Robin Le Normand will pair up with David Hancko in the heart of the defence.
With a number of key midfielders unavailable, Alex Baena could step into the central midfield role to partner with Koke. Meanwhile, Giuliano Simeone and Ademola Lookman should continue on the flanks.
In the final third, Julian Alvarez should partner veteran striker Antoine Griezmann, who is set to leave after the end of the season.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Musso; Molina, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Baena, Lookman; Alvarez, Griezmann
Barcelona suffered a massive blow during the international break as Raphinha picked up a hamstring injury that will sideline him for around five weeks.
He joins Andreas Christensen (knee) and Frenkie De Jong (hamstring) on the sidelines.
The Catalan giants will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Joan Garcia will continue in goal. Ronald Araujo and Joao Cancelo could be the full-backs, while Pau Cubarsi could partner with Eric Garcia in central defence.
In the centre of the park, Pedri will form the double pivot alongside Marc Bernal. The duo will look to shield the backline and control the tempo of the game.
With Raphinha out, Marcus Rashford should take charge on the left flank, while Lamine Yamal will continue on the right. Fermin Lopez should continue in the number ten role with Robert Lewandowski leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Joan Garcia; Araujo, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Cancelo; Bernal, Pedri; Yamal, F Lopez, Rashford; Lewandowski
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The 37-year-old might have failed to take Poland to the World Cup, but he still has a big part to play for his club in the final phase of the season. Lewandowski might not be a regular starter for Barcelona anymore, but he still remains a key figure in Flick’s plans.
He has racked up over 1,900 minutes in his 37 outings and has 16 goals and three assists. Given the game time, those are still impressive numbers from the Polish international. Having failed to bag a goal in his last three league outings, Lewandowski will be eager to get back on the score sheet against Atletico.
Atletico Madrid will look to make the most of their home advantage and approach this clash with intensity, especially given its importance ahead of their Champions League meeting. Diego Simeone’s men are expected to stay compact, remain disciplined out of possession, and look to hurt Barcelona through quick transitions and physical duels in key areas.
Barcelona, meanwhile, will aim to control the game with their dominance in midfield and attacking quality, despite a few key absentees. With the title race on the line, they cannot afford to slip up, but breaking down Atletico’s defensive structure is never straightforward.
Given the stakes and the recent history between the two sides, this contest could turn into a tightly fought affair where both teams cancel each other out. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-2 draw in this high-voltage fixture.
