This Saturday (21), Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid play another historical chapter in LaLiga. The match, valid for the 18th round, takes place at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Both teams show up with 38 points, but Barça takes the top due to one more victory. While the Catalans look to regain the form that marked the start of their season, Atleti arrives on the back of six consecutive wins, full of confidence and with a chance to take the lead.
Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).
Opposite tides of results
In the last five games, Barcelona has won just one, stumbling and letting points slip away. Hansi Flick's team faces a temporary crisis in performance, something unimaginable for a team that started the competition so dominantly.
On the other hand, Diego Simeone and his team are in a golden phase. Atlético de Madrid has won 11 straight matches across all competitions, LaLiga, Champions League, and Copa del Rey, making them the most consistent team in European soccer for the time being.
Atlético has won eleven straight matches," Flick admitted. "This will be a tough game. But I wouldn't call it a 'final.' Saturday's result won't decide the league because the season is long, and we have to keep working."
Despite the warning, there's no denying the pressure on the Blaugranas. Even with impressive stats in possession, shots, and completed passes, Barcelona desperately needs a victory to stop the opponent's surge.
Attack vs. Defense
This Saturday's clash offers up an interesting contrast. An attack vs. a defence. Barcelona has LaLiga's most powerful attack, scoring 50 goals so far. However, they will face the competition's strongest defense: Atlético has conceded only 11 goals, sharing the best record with Real Sociedad.
Simeone focuses on executing a precise strategy. The Argentine coach avoided getting caught up in discussions about "bravery" and expressed his team's collective focus:
“I don't know what the word bravery refers to. Everyone can interpret it differently. We think about the team, how we can take the game where we want it, and we'll work according to what we're looking for." Simeone also emphasized the need for consistency, regardless of opponent:
If we propose just to play against Barcelona, we're on the wrong path. We have to propose it everywhere. If we think that winning in Barcelona is enough, it doesn't guarantee anything; there are still 20 games left."
The history
This will be the 243rd meeting between Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid. The history favors the Catalans: they've won 110 matches, while the Colchoneros have 75 victories. However, historical numbers won't matter, especially with Atlético's current form. Simeone's side hasn't lost since October 27, when they fell to Betis.
Flick, aware of the challenging moment, looks to keep calm and plan ahead: "We have played well against the big teams. This season, we want to achieve great things, and we'll keep working. The next step is to play well against a big team." With contrasting styles and opposite moments, Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid arrive at the match fully aware that a victory right now is worth "six points."