The curtains will fall on the first-leg ties of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday. The action on the day will start and end with two simultaneous matches, including Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou.
Barcelona qualified for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals by beating Newcastle United in the round of 16. While the first leg ended in a 1-1 draw and the second leg began as a closely-contested affair, the Blaugrana scored goals for fun in the second half to clinch an 8-3 win on aggregate.
Hansi Flick’s men have been on a roll in recent weeks apart from the Copa del Rey elimination, and they are on a nine-game unbeaten run. The latest victory may have taken Barcelona a step closer to the league title, as Real Madrid’s shock 2-1 defeat to RCD Mallorca helped the Catalan outfit open up a seven-point buffer atop the table.
On the other hand, Atletico Madrid reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals by getting past Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16. While the North London outfit gave Los Rojiblancos a run for their money, the tie was effectively over in the first leg. However, while Diego Simeone’s men are in the Copa del Rey final, they have not been impressive in domestic football, and they are on a three-match losing run across competitions.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have already locked horns four times this season, with the Catalan outfit clinching a 2-1 win in La Liga this past weekend. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Hansi Flick has a new injury concern that is hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Barcelona head coach will be bereft of the services of four first-team players vs Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
Marc Bernal is the latest absentee after sustaining an ankle injury in the league clash with Atletico Madrid this past weekend. The Spanish midfield prospect has joined Andreas Christensen (knee), Frenkie de Jong (match fitness), and Raphinha (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Joan Garcia is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Barcelona lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. The backline will feature Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, and Joao Cancelo.
As for the midfield unit, Eric Garcia will line up alongside Pedri in the double pivot, with Fermin Lopez reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Robert Lewandowski will lead the line for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid, with Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Joan Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo; Eric Garcia, Pedri; Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Rashford; Lewandowski
Unlike his counterpart in the Barcelona dugout, Diego Simeone has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to the Spotify Camp Nou. The Atletico Madrid manager may be without five first-team players on Wednesday.
Jan Oblak is the most notable absentee, with the veteran goalkeeper recovering from a muscular issue. The Slovenian goalkeeper accompanies Pablo Barrios (thigh), Johnny Cardoso (adductor), and Rodrigo Mendoza (ankle) in the treatment room. Meanwhile, Marc Pubill (match fitness) face a late test to determine his availability.
Juan Musso will deputise for Oblak between the sticks, with Atletico Madrid lining up in a 4-4-2 formation in front of him vs Barcelona on Wednesday. The backline will feature Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, David Hancko, and Matteo Ruggeri.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Koke and Alex Baena in the central areas, with Giuliano Simeone and Ademola Lookman being the two wide attackers. Finally, Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez will complete the numbers in the offensive unit. So, Alexander Sorloth will be a backup option on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Musso; Llorente, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Baena, Lookman; Griezmann, Alvarez
While Marcus Rashford, Antoine Griezmann, and Julian Alvarez were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Lamine Yamal as the Player to Watch for Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League clash between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou.
The Spanish international has five goals and four assists in eight Champions League outings this term. Should he score or assist in this game, Yamal will become the youngest player to record ten or more goal involvements in an edition (18y 269d), with the current youngest being Erling Haaland (19y 212d – 10 goals, one assist in 2019-2020). So, with Raphinha unavailable, Yamal will be the go-to player for Hansi Flick in the final third.
A few weeks ago, particularly after the spectacular win in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg, Atletico Madrid may have felt that they finally had the measure of Barcelona. However, since then, the Catalan giants have blown Los Rojiblancos away, and they are arguably the most in-form team in Europe.
So, while Atletico Madrid will take the game to the home side, they may not take much from the first leg apart from a solitary strike that keeps them alive in the competition. However, Barcelona will inch closer to a spot in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals by clinching a 3-1 win, with Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, and Robert Lewandowski delivering the goods.
