Three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid | UEFA Champions League

Days after their 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid, Barcelona take to the sector in opposition to the identical opposition as soon as extra, albeit with even greater stakes.

This time round, they lock horns within the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, and the winner after two legs will probably be simply three video games away from the elusive European title.

Diego Simeone and Co. strategy the competitors as considered one of their solely possibilities to win silverware this season, past the Copa del Rey, particularly given the hole Barcelona have constructed on the high of La Liga.

For the Catalans, nevertheless, the UEFA Champions League is a perennial objective given their latest heartbreaks, and it’s clear that the gamers will do something to get their arms on that trophy at this level.

The primary leg between the 2 Spanish giants will probably be performed tomorrow evening on the Spotify Camp Nou, with the reverse fixture scheduled on the Riyadh Air Metropolitano per week later.

Barça Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid.

The benefit that went flawed

Barcelona completed the league stage of the UEFA Champions League in fifth place after a dramatic closing matchday, and, because of this, secured direct qualification to the playoffs.

As a reward for his or her higher-placed end, that they had the second leg of the sport in opposition to Newcastle United at residence within the Spherical of 16, and capitalised on it to make it to the ultimate 4.

Atletico Madrid, who they face within the quarter-finals, completed 14th on the standings and beat Tottenham Hotspur to get to the final-four.

Regardless of Barcelona ending forward on the leaderboard, Atleti now benefit from the privilege of getting the second leg at residence as a result of they ‘stole’ the benefit from fourth-placed Spurs.

The brand new system adopted this season, with ‘stealing’ privileges, has its benefits, nevertheless it additionally severely negates the consolation a higher-placed end after eight video games ought to give a group.

Now compelled to play the second leg away from residence, Barcelona don’t have any choice however to exit all weapons blazing tomorrow and safe a decisive lead, whereas the opponents can simply concentrate on a conservative consequence to capitalise on per week later.

A troublesome midfield scenario

Hansi Flick deployed a beginning lineup that includes Eric Garcia and Pedri in midfield in opposition to Atletico Madrid on the weekend, and it didn’t take lengthy for the fallacies of that dynamic to return to the fore.

Whereas Barcelona began robust, Atletico Madrid quickly started to take pleasure in dominance in the midst of the park as Garcia sat deeper to neutralise Atletico’s attacking strikes. In consequence, Pedri was left alone to manage the midfield and was quickly overwhelmed.

Following Ronald Araujo’s harm scare, Flick introduced on Marc Bernal to revive stability and dominance in midfield, shifting Garcia to right-back. The change introduced stability to the Catalans’ buildup, and so they had been later helped by a numerical benefit.

For tomorrow’s sport, nevertheless, Bernal is injured and unavailable, as is Frenkie de Jong, leaving Flick with Pedri and Eric Garcia as his solely two remaining pivot choices.

Evidently, going again to the identical mixture that didn’t work simply days in the past is a problem that Flick should handle. In spite of everything, he doesn’t have too many choices.

A well-rested opposition

It has simply been three days since Barcelona and Atletico Madrid confronted off in La Liga, and the Catalans have the sting with the momentum on their facet. Nonetheless, what Los Rojiblancos have could also be price much more.

Regardless of shedding to Flick’s facet on the evening, Diego Simeone managed at hand virtually his whole beginning XI a relaxation on the weekend with massive rotations from the off and heavy substitutions within the second half.

The likes of Julian Alvarez and Ademola Lookman didn’t even seem off the bench on the evening, and it’s clear that Atletico Madrid are extraordinarily properly rested for tomorrow’s sport. Barcelona, in the meantime, toiled to no finish in the identical sport.

How the Blaugrana can sustain with the guests’ power, tempo, and attacking pace, for sure, will rely for a lot of the consequence tomorrow, and Flick will concentrate on the bodily benefit that Atletico Madrid possesses.

As a group who press excessive and work exhausting off the ball, furthermore, Los Rojiblancos’ benefit is extra dominant, particularly given how they’ve been in a position to bother Barcelona’s ball-retention in latest conferences.