Messi and Neymar have formed a formidable partnership between themselves, one which will surely be giving the Atletico defence nightmares as we draw near to the second leg of the Copa Del Rey semi final. The two South American forwards have scored a mammoth total of 50 goals among themselves in all competitions already and combined delightfully to produce devastating effects when Barca went against Elche last time out.
It is essential that the duo is not allowed much freedom from Atletico Madrid's perspective if they are to make it to the next round. Here are five ways Atletico can stop Neymar and Messi and thereby record a victory in the upcoming match.
Limit service from the midfield
Atletico will have to win the midfield battles if they are to get anything out of the match. Whereas Neymar and Messi cause all the damage it is the likes of Rakitic and Iniesta who pull the strings from the middle of the park and ensure that Barcelona's prolific duo can perform their duties to perfection.
If Atleti can manage to keep the likes of Rakitic and Iniesta under control they can prevent regular movements of the ball higher up the pitch thereby denying Messi and Neymar much time on the ball.
Maintain the physicality
Even though there are not many weaknesses in the Barcelona squad, one thing they really struggle against is a physical opposition. This is something Diego Simeone's side can carry out to perfection and this is why Atletico should use it to their benefit when the two sides meet on Wednesday.
Atletico are known to have troubled their counterparts with their superior physical strength. The Barcelona forwards on the other hand especially Neymar is lightweight and the Atletico players can make life difficult for him by using their body strength against him. However it must be noted that despite getting bullied by the Atletico players in recent games, Neymar managed to produce impeccable performances and it is necessary that the Atletico players are up to the task.
Be disciplined at the back
Atletico defended commendably for most of the game in the first leg keeping the scores at 0-0 but conceded a late penalty which Barcelona took advantage of as Messi scored on the rebound after his penalty was saved. It is thus also important that the Atletico players do not get carried away and maintain discipline for the entire 90 minutes.
Counter attacking football
Griezmann scored a brace in Atleti's last outing against Rayo Vallecano to once again prove what a wonderful signing he has been for the defending Spanish champions and it is essential that Diego Simeone uses the Frenchman's strengths to the team's benefit. Griezmann's blistering pace can cause a lot of panic in the opposition half and this makes Atleti a real threat during counterattacks. Atletico will most likely be defending for lengthy periods and should thus adopt a counter attacking strategy for which Griezmann will be very useful.
Take advantage of set pieces
The addition of Torres has made Atletico a bigger threat during set pieces and this is something they should use to full advantage during Wednesday's game. They already have Mario Mandzukic in their ranks who's physical strength and height make him difficult to control during set pieces and this is one area Los Colchoneros should be looking to punish their opponents.
Whereas controlling Messi and Neymar might allow Atletico to prevent Barcelona from scoring it will not be sufficient for helping them in qualifying to the next round. Atleti will need atleast one goal if they are to make it to the semi-final of the competition and it is important that they do balance their attacking and defensive tactics.
Détails du match, résultat et infos sur la première diffusion
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