Madrid Set for Another Crucial Clash: Atlético Hosts Barcelona

Once again, the Spanish capital will be the center of attention for La Liga fans. After the thrilling Champions League showdown between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid, Atlético now faces another tough challenge as they host the other Spanish powerhouse, Barcelona, on Sunday night.

Barcelona, currently at the top of the table with 57 points and a game in hand, shares the same tally as their arch-rivals Real Madrid, while Atlético trails by just one point.

This highly anticipated clash will further intensify the race for the La Liga title, as Barcelona seeks to cement its lead. However, standing in their way is a determined Atlético side that won the reverse fixture in Barcelona’s backyard. The Catalans will undoubtedly be looking for revenge, especially since their last league defeat came at the hands of Atlético (1-2) on December 21st.

The two sides also met in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals, which ended in a thrilling 4-4 draw. They are set to meet again in the second leg on April 2nd.

Atlético, eager to bounce back from their disappointing Champions League exit, sees this match as an opportunity to defeat Barcelona and potentially claim the league’s top spot, provided Real Madrid stumbles against Villarreal. They are also keen to return to winning ways after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Getafe in their last league outing.

Atlético’s Argentine coach Diego Simeone gathered his players for a crucial meeting, urging them to put the Real Madrid game behind them and focus entirely on securing the three points against Barcelona. He emphasized the importance of avoiding another setback that could jeopardize their title ambitions.

On the other hand, Barcelona heads into this match with high spirits. The team remains unbeaten this year and are aiming for their seventh consecutive league win, as well as their eighth victory in the last nine matches, to distance themselves from a direct rival in the title race.

Here are some key stats that could help you predict the correct result and win exciting rewards with “Betway”:

• Atlético Madrid won their last league match against Barcelona 2-1 earlier this season after losing the previous five encounters. They haven’t beaten Barcelona twice in the same league campaign since the 2005-06 season.
• After winning back-to-back home league games against Barcelona without conceding in 2020 and 2021, Atlético has lost their last two home fixtures against the Catalans without scoring a single goal.
• Barcelona has avoided defeat in their last three away league matches against Madrid-based teams (two wins, one draw), all under German coach Hansi Flick.
• Atlético Madrid remains unbeaten in all 14 of their home league games this season (10 wins, 4 draws). The last time they went 15 home matches without defeat in a single La Liga campaign was in 2017-18 (17 games, 12 wins, 5 draws).
• Atlético’s Norwegian striker Alexander Sørloth is the most prolific substitute scorer in Europe’s top five leagues this season, netting seven goals off the bench.
• Barcelona’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski has scored 21 goals in 25 league matches this season, two more than he managed in the entirety of the previous campaign (19 goals in 35 matches). He has also found the net in five of his last six La Liga games, scoring a total of five goals.