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Sports Illustrated

Sport

Roberto Casillas

Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

FC Barcelona UEFA Champions League Atlético Madrid Atletico Madrid Diego Simeone Madrid @Atleti Barça Hansi Flick Clément Lenglet

Barcelona are obligated to manufacture a magical performance on Tuesday night at the Metropolitano against Spanish rivals Atlético Madrid if they are to keep their Champions League dreams intact.

Hansi Flick’s side make the trip to the capital after enduring a painful 2–0 defeat at the Camp Nou in the first leg. Barcelona dominated early but Pau Cubarsí’s red card conditioned the Catalans, who were punished by strikes from Julián Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth and now have a mountain to climb.

Barcelona now must deliver their best performance of the season to have any hopes of ending an 11-year Champions League title drought. Flick’s side triumphed over city rivals Espanyol at the weekend to improve morale before the decisive bout against Atléti.

Diego Simeone, on the other hand, rested almost all of his key player in Atléti’s 2–1 defeat away at Sevilla. With Los Rojiblancos out of contention in the La Liga title race, the Argentine boss prioritized having a healthy and fully rested side to try and protect their two-goal advantage and progress past Barça to the semifinals on Tuesday.

There’s growing confidence within Barcelona that they can deliver in the face of adversity, but Atlético Madid host the second leg in pole position to eliminate the Catalans in the Champions League quarterfinals for the third time in the Simeone era.

Atlético Madrid vs. Barcelona Score Prediction

Barça Endure Yet Another Heartbreaking Champions League Exit

Lamine Yamal’s wait for a maiden Champions League title will continue. | Xavi Bonilla/DeFodi Images/DeFodi/Getty Images

Barcelona twice overcame two goal deficits in last season’s Champions League semifinals against Inter Milan before eventually falling in extra time. The Catalans have the quality to once again erase the disadvantage, but the final outcome of Tuesday’s second leg could be Déjà vu in the worst, most heartbreaking way possible for Flick’s side.

There’s no question that Barça will ask questions of Atlético’s defense from the starting whistle onwards. Simeone’s side are expected to sit low to protect the advantage and Barcelona will probe incessantly to try and get back in the tie.

It wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest if the Blaugrana score twice and are in position to advance, but it’s equally unlikely that their leaky defense shuts down the hosts for 90 minutes ... or even longer.

In the end, the image of Barça players crestfallen on the pitch after a heartbreaking Champions League exit could be on the menu once again.

Champions League Head-to-head record: Atlético Madrid have eliminated Barça the only two times they’ve met in the Champions League knockout stages in 2013–14 and 2015–16. Not even Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., Andrés Iniesta and Co. could overcome Simeone’s gritty sides in the away second legs.
Barcelona’s dreadful defensive record: No team has conceded more goals in the Champions League since the start of last season than Barcelona with 43. Furthermore, Flick’s side have failed to keep a clean sheet in 14-straight games in the competition, the joint longest streak of any Spanish team in tournament history.
Barça need historic comeback: Only two out of 194 teams have progressed in the Champions League knockout stages after losing at home in the first leg by two or more goals. Furthermore, the Catalans have never won a Champions League knockout tie after losing the first leg at home.

Prediction: Atlético Madrid 1–2 Barcelona (After Extra Time)

Atlético Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona

Atlético Madrid lineup — Atléti have significant absences in defense. | FotMob

Having to deploy a makeshift backline against an attack as prolific as Barça’s is far from ideal, but that’s exactly what Simeone will be forced to do in the second leg. Marc Pubilli is suspended for yellow card accumulation, and Dávid Hancko likely won’t recover in time from his first leg injury to feature from the start.

Former Barcelona man Clément Lenglet should fill in for Hancko partnering Robin Le Normand, and 2022 World Cup champion Nahuel Molina is poised to enter the XI at right back.

Those are the only two changes expected from the XI that took the pitch at the Camp Nou last week, with Juan Musso keeping his place between the posts ahead of Jan Oblak who recently returned from injury.

José María Giménez, Pablo Barrios and Johnny Cardoso are the only other injury doubts for the match.

Atlético Madrid predicted lineup vs. Barcelona (4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman; Griezmann, Álvarez

Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Atlético Madrid

Barcelona lineup — De Jong’s return is a massive boost. | FotMob

Cubarsí’s suspension means Flick will most likely turn to the versatile Eric García once again to partner Gerard Martín in the heard of defense.

This tactical switch is also possible because Frenkie de Jong has recovered from injury and is a strong candidate to start, re-establishing his partnership with Pedri in Barça‘s engine room just when they needed it most.

Marcus Rashford starts on the left in place of the injured Raphinha, and João Cancelo should keep his spot ahead of Alejandro Balde.

Elsewhere, Fermín López and Robert Lewandowski were mostly rested against Espanyol and are expected to start with Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres likely coming on in the second half.