Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona – all it is advisable know
Who: Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona
What: Spanish LaLiga
The place: Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid, Spain
When: Sunday at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
Observe Al Jazeera Sport‘s stay textual content and picture commentary stream.
Atletico Madrid doesn’t have a lot time to linger on its painful Champions League exit towards Actual Madrid.
One other essential recreation awaits on Sunday, this time towards Barcelona within the tight battle for the Spanish league title.
Al Jazeera appears forward to one of many largest video games within the Spanish soccer calendar:
How are Atletico Madrid and Barcelona faring in LaLiga?
Atletico are some extent behind Barcelona in second and 4 factors behind leaders Madrid within the three-way battle for the trophy.
Actual have performed two extra video games than Barca and yet one more than Atletico.
So Diego Simeone’s workforce can hardly afford to lose on Sunday however should rapidly recover from one other excruciating defeat to their fierce crosstown rival within the Champions League on Wednesday.
What occurred in Atletico’s Champions League Madrid derby?
Atletico misplaced in a penalty shootout to Actual after Julian Alvarez’s spot kick was disallowed for a double contact. Solely a video evaluate noticed the primary contact when Alvarez’s assist foot slid and gently nudged the ball earlier than he impacted it along with his different foot and despatched it into the web.
“Truthfully, it isn’t straightforward to recover from the best way we misplaced this tie. We will’t misinform ourselves,” Simeone stated after the match.
The place might the match be received on Sunday?
Simeone acknowledged that Barcelona might have a bonus each bodily and emotionally after Hansi Flick’s aspect received an additional day’s relaxation after their victory towards Benfica on Tuesday to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals.
“We face an ideal rival on Sunday. I think about the Barcelona gamers have been wanting our recreation to go so long as it might, to succeed in penalties,” Simeone stated. “We are going to arrive drained and beat up after having fought exhausting in a tie that demanded we give it our all, however we are going to throw every thing we’ve got left” at Barcelona.
🤩 Superb recollections from our final LaLiga recreation vs FC Barcelona pic.twitter.com/ztLACCN3bL
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) March 15, 2025
How has the rivalry panned out just lately?
Atletico have confounded Barcelona twice this season. Late objectives by Alexander Sorloth snatched a 2-1 win at Barcelona within the league and a 4-4 draw within the opening leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal.
However Barcelona have gone unbeaten in 17 straight video games throughout all competitions since that loss to Atletico in late December.
Atletico may even host Barcelona subsequent month to determine their Copa del Rey semifinal.
What’s Barcelona’s tackle the match?
Flick warned his Barcelona stars they should focus to keep away from crumbling towards Atletico Madrid as they’ve of their earlier two conferences this season.
“Now we have had actually two nice matches, and naturally, we’ve got to be targeted from the start to the tip of the match,” Flick advised reporters on Saturday.
“Within the first match, on the finish of the match, we weren’t so targeted like we will be, and in addition the second match was [the same] at first and in addition on the finish, so we’ve got to take care about that.
“Once you make errors, Atletico can damage you, and that is what we’ve got to defend towards.”
No days off 💪 #AtletiBarça pic.twitter.com/iuQRV2QRWk
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 15, 2025
How will Flick clear up the Olmo-Gavi headache?
Dani Olmo is seemingly forward of Gavi within the pecking order for the attacking midfield spot for Barca.
Gavi and Barca defender Alejandro Balde weren’t included within the Spain squad that may face the Netherlands within the Nations League quarterfinals subsequent week, however the Barca coach hailed each gamers.
“[Gavi] got here from an enormous damage, and he’s 20 years previous, and now in the meanwhile, he’s, I believe, not the primary [choice] … a harder state of affairs, however he’s doing nice,” Flick stated.
“In the mean time our midfield is doing actually good. I’m completely satisfied he’s right here, and I believe he’ll play many, a few years for this superb membership and be one of many superstars right here.
“He can enhance loads. He’ll do that. His perspective is unbelievably good. He’s actually targeted and actually completely satisfied he’s right here.
“I believe for the World Cup 2026, he might be there and be capable to play, one hundred pc.”
Completely satisfied Gavi. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/Eh0tos7Uhi
— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) March 14, 2025
Flick added that Balde was “top-of-the-line” left backs on this planet and in addition praised veteran centre again Inigo Martinez, who was referred to as up for Spain by nationwide workforce coach Luis de la Fuente.
“Together with his perspective and mentality, he’s unbelievably good for each workforce,” Flick stated.
Atletico Madrid type information:
W-D-W-L-L
Barcelona type information:
W-D-W-W-W
Atletico Madrid workforce information
Angel Correa is suspended for the match after his purple card within the 2-1 defeat to Getafe final weekend.
Koke stays a doubt with a knock whereas Rodrigo De Paul is ready to overlook out.
Barcelona workforce information
Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are nonetheless long-term absentees with knee accidents, however Andreas Christensen is again in coaching with the squad.
Atletico Madrid’s possible beginning lineup:
Jan Oblak; Nahuel Molina, Jose Maria Gimenez, Clement Lenglet, Reinildo; Giuliano Simeone, Rodrigo De Paul, Pablo Barrios, Conor Gallagher; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez
Barcelona’s doable beginning lineup:
Wojciech Szczesny; Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Frenkie De Jong, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha; Robert Lewandowski
