A win over Deportivo Alaves at house helped Barcelona take the lead in La Liga, however they now face off in opposition to Atletico Madrid simply over 72 hours later.
The sport, a part of Matchday 19 of the 2025/26 La Liga, was initially slated to be held in January, however has now been rescheduled to earlier owing to the Spanish Tremendous Cup that can be performed at the moment.
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The 2 groups will, thus, face off tomorrow evening in an enormous league recreation on the Spotify Camp Nou in what would be the first heavyweight conflict on the stadium put up its reopening.
Barça Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid.
A result in defend
Barcelona’s win over Alaves on Saturday helped the Catalans recuperate first place on the La Liga standings provisionally, and all eyes had been on Actual Madrid to see if they may declare again the lead.
Los Blancos, nonetheless, might solely handle a draw in opposition to Girona away at Estadi Montilivi, handing Barcelona the lead for good.
Simply over a month in the past, when the 2 giants locked horns in El Clasico, Actual Madrid appeared to have the clear higher hand each when it comes to sporting high quality and the numerical lead on the high of the desk.
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November, nonetheless, has not fairly gone their means, they usually have now dropped six of their final 9 factors within the competitors. The consequence – Barcelona boast a one-point lead over them.
The Catalans’ first recreation again because the leaders is in opposition to Atletico Madrid tomorrow, and it will likely be something however straightforward for them to retain that place. A win, nonetheless, is not going to solely assure them the pole place however ship a message that they’re actually again.
Xabi Alonso’s males play away in opposition to Athletic Membership on Wednesday, and there’s a good probability they drop factors once more, given their latest type. For Barça, the most effective state of affairs can be to win and safe the lead, and even hope for it to increase.
The necessity for a big-game win
Barcelona have come up brief in large video games this season. (Photograph by Mike Hewitt/Getty Photographs)
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Whereas rather a lot has been mentioned about Barcelona’s deficiencies this season in comparison with the earlier marketing campaign, the very fact of the matter stays that there’s not a lot distinction when it comes to the workforce’s place in La Liga.
On the identical level final season, the Catalans had roughly the identical variety of factors, objectives scored, and conceded, and proceed to be the leaders as soon as extra.
What has modified, nonetheless, is their efficiency in large video games, which was considerably higher and extra convincing within the earlier marketing campaign.
In contrast to how they dominated and defeated Bayern Munich, Actual Madrid, and others final season, the Catalans are but to win a single large recreation this season and have merely switched off on large events.
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For starters, they misplaced in opposition to PSG within the UEFA Champions League, then dropped all three factors to Actual Madrid, and most not too long ago took a beating in opposition to Chelsea.
A giant recreation win, for sure, will go a great distance in serving to the dressing room imagine of their skills as soon as extra and that’s exactly what they are going to look to attain tomorrow evening.
As they tackle Atletico Madrid, the target is not going to solely be to safe the lead in La Liga however to get their first big-game win below their belt – one thing that may be transformative for his or her season within the greater image.
Recovering decisive starters
Pressed into an uncomfortable place, began the double pivot of Marc Casado and Marc Bernal in opposition to Alaves. Whereas the latter was understandably rusty, the previous a shadow of his former self as properly.
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For the conflict in opposition to Diego Simeone’s males, Flick will recuperate Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, each possible in a beginning capability, and phrases can’t put into perspective how necessary that’s to the workforce.
In only a brief cameo within the final recreation, Pedri confirmed his class and why he’s on a totally completely different degree when it comes to controlling the sport and tempo. De Jong, in the meantime, missed the sport for household causes and can be again tomorrow.
With the mix as soon as extra, Flick can stay assured that Barcelona may have management over the midfield – a division the place they’ve consistently been outrun in large video games.
All eyes, for sure, can be on how the workforce operates with most starters again in motion.
In any case, Raphinha, Pedri, De Jong, and Lamine Yamal all beginning collectively this season is a mix the supervisor has not been capable of depend on many occasions this season.