Preview
La Liga has resumed action, and it's back with a bang, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid set to face off on Sunday in this round's standout showdown. This 10:15 a.m. ET clash will take place at the Camp Nou as the Blaugrana look to beat their bitter rivals in order to gain ground in this season's heated top-four race.
The last time the Catalan giants locked horns with Simeone's men, they were on the receiving end of a 2-0 defeat. Thomas Lemar broke the deadlock in that October encounter before Luis Suarez came to haunt his formal club, netting Atletico's second just before half time.
However, a lot has changed at the Camp Nou since then. First of all, Ronald Koeman, the man who oversaw that embarrassing defeat, is no longer at the helm of Barcelona. Xavi Hernandez is now in charge, with the iconic midfielder attempting to turn his beloved club's fortunes around after what had been a dreadful start to the campaign.
Since his arrival, the Spanish giants have won only six out of their 15 games, underlining that the issues go deeper than the manager. President Joan Laporta looked to address a few of those problems during the January transfer window, with three players – Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Adama Traore – joining the club over the winter.
The latter two joined in the final days of the window and are yet to feature for the club. Will they make their debuts on Sunday? Can they guide the team to victory over Atletico? A win would see Xavi's men leapfrog the Madrid giants in the table as a mere point separates the two clubs.
Form has not been on Los Rojiblancos' side as of late, which has allowed fifth-placed Barcelona to gain ground on them. The defending champions have won only two out of their last five outings. To make things worse, third-placed Real Betis have now moved four points ahead while second-placed Sevilla boast a whopping 11-point advantage.
Additionally, Atletico have a difficult UEFA Champions League game on the back of their mind, with Luis Suarez and Co. set to face Man United in the last 16. While their title defense in Spain is pretty much over, a lot left remains in their season. However, a top-four finish is a must for Simeone's side, and the result in Sunday's trip to the Camp Nou could play a huge part in that outcome.
Team news
Barcelona: The home side will be without several players as Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti, Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto, and Eric Garcia are all sidelined. Additionally, Memphis Depay is also injured but both Adama Traore and Aubameyang are available to make their debuts, though it will likely come off the bench.
Atletico: El Cholo will be without Geoffrey Kondogbia, Antoine Griezmann and Marcos Llorente as all three were left out of the team due to injuries. Suarez will likely start against his former club, but it will be interesting to see who will join him in attack as Joao Felix, Correa and Matheus Cunha are all vying for slots in the XI.
Key stats
-
The Blaugrana have failed to score in their last three league meetings with Atltetico.
-
However, Simeone's men are on a four-game winless run away from home.
-
The Catalan giants haven't loss to Los Rojiblancos at the Camp Nou in any of their last 15 league showdowns (W10, D5).
Broadcast listings
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
