Barcelona will face Atletico Madrid on Sunday at the Metropolitano Stadium, in a match that is expected to be special for the Catalans. Hansi Flick’s side aims to win not only to strengthen its position at the top of La Liga, but also to take revenge on the Madrid side after last season’s eliminations.
According to reports from the newspaper “Mundo Deportivo”, Barcelona want to win to extend their lead over their pursuers in the league to five points. On the other hand, an Atletico Madrid victory would bring the Madrid side to within just one point of the top.
Last season’s meetings between the two teams left a bitter taste for the Catalans. In the semi-final of the King’s Cup, Atletico won the first leg 4-0. Barcelona triumphed 3-0 in the return leg, but failed to overturn the deficit and were eliminated.
In the Champions League, the story repeated itself. Atletico won the first meeting 2-0, while Barcelona equalised in the return match with goals from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres. However, Torres’ goal was disallowed, and Erik García’s red card made the comeback harder, ending the Catalans’ European adventure in the quarter-finals.
Another issue that has strained relations between the two clubs is Julián Álvarez. The Argentine striker was one of Barcelona’s targets during the summer, but Atletico refused to negotiate his departure to the Catalans.