David Jones from La Liga On-line previews the large recreation arising this weekend as Atletico Madrid host Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday night time.
Barcelona appear to be regressing whereas Atletico Madrid are going from energy to energy. As issues stand, Atletico are third within the La Liga desk with 17 factors from seven matches, whereas Barcelona have picked up simply 11 factors from seven video games.
The Rojiblancos are three factors behind leaders Actual Sociedad, who’ve performed 9 matches. True, Atletico should not having the perfect of instances within the Champions League, however in La Liga, Diego Simeone’s aspect are doing extraordinarily properly. The Madrid outfit have scored 17 objectives in seven league matches and have the league’s finest defence, having conceded simply twice. Of their final recreation earlier than the two-week worldwide break, Atletico hammered Cadiz 4-0 at residence within the league. Luiz Suarez, so unceremoniously let go by Barcelona in the summertime of 2020, scored as soon as in that match, taking his tally to 5 objectives in six appearances in La Liga for Atletico this season.
Joao Felix is having an exquisite season. The 21-year-old ahead has scored 5 objectives and offered two assists in seven league matches and has discovered the again of the online twice in three Champions League video games, based on WhoScored. The Portugal worldwide is among the finest and most promising younger abilities on the earth, and he has come into his personal and is a pleasure to observe. Barcelona nonetheless have (arguably?) the world’s biggest ever footballer in Lionel Messi, however there may be a lot the Argentine wizard can do on his personal.
The 33-year-old has nonetheless scored three objectives within the league and has scored three objectives and offered three assists within the Champions League. Whereas it’s clear that Messi is lacking his buddy and companion in crime in assault Suarez, Ansu Fati does appear to have cast a robust partnership with Messi. The 18-year-old winger has scored 4 objectives within the league, however he’ll now miss the subsequent 5 months with a ruptured inner meniscus in his left knee.
This might open the door for Ousmane Dembele. Atletico will head into the match in opposition to Barcelona on the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday night as favourites. Though Simeone’s aspect are banging within the objectives for enjoyable in the intervening time, the house crew could determine to play conservatively in opposition to the Messi-lead crew and will plan to grind out a win. For Barcelona to select up all three factors in Madrid, they want Messi at his finest.
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Founder and chief editor of La Liga Weblog, Andy fell in love with Spanish soccer after a college placement yr within the Costa Del Sol. His favorite Tapas is Albondigas and on Saturday afternoons, Andy can commonly be discovered making an attempt to emulate his hero Carles Puyol for his newbie soccer crew.
