Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid performed out an interesting 4-4 draw final month in Catalonia as they locked horns within the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie.
They face one another as soon as once more on Sunday, in La Liga this time, on the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, and it’s clear that rather a lot rides on the end result that performs out on the venue.
Each groups have been in imperious kind this season and have been within the driver’s seat within the title race all alongside. Whereas Barcelona suffered a mid-season stoop, Atletico Madrid have been largely constant however have faltered barely in current outings.
Tomorrow’s sport in Madrid can have large implications on how the remainder of the season performs out for each groups and might be one of the vital necessary remaining video games in La Liga aside from El Clasico.
Barça Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona.
A query of mentality
Whereas each Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have had largely related calendars up to now this season, each groups enter tomorrow’s sport with vastly completely different mentalities and states of thoughts.
Hansi Flick’s facet, couldn’t have hoped for a greater run of kind to be on forward of the conflict in opposition to Los Rojiblancos, as they arrive recent off a large victory over Benfica that gave them a spot within the quarterfinal of the UEFA Champions League.
Atletico Madrid, in the meantime, face the polar reverse scenario as they have been eradicated from the competitors by Actual Madrid. What makes their scenario worse is the way during which they misplaced, particularly with a controversial VAR involvement within the penalty shootout.
One essential issue that may determine the end result tomorrow, thus, is the mentality with which either side descend to the sector. In any case, it stays to be seen if the hosts are out to avenge their defeat midweek or nonetheless within the shock of the end result.
Concurrently, nonetheless, one can’t assist however notice that Atletico Madrid are coming off a sport that sucked the life out of the squad with 120 minutes of draining soccer. That, mixed with the 24 hours additional relaxation that Barcelona have, might nicely show decisive.
One for the title race
Heading into the twenty eighth match of the season, Barcelona have La Liga in management with each Madrid-based sides slipping up in current weeks.
Tomorrow evening is without doubt one of the events the place the Catalans can immediately take factors off their competitor and thus set up a superior lead and it’s unimaginable to have a look at the sport on the Metropolitano with out having an eye fixed on the desk.
One other fierce battle on the horizon. (Picture by Alex Caparros/Getty Photos)
Barcelona are at present on 57 factors in La Liga, one level forward of Los Rojiblancos with an additional sport in hand. A win over Diego Simeone’s facet tomorrow will thus take them 4 factors clear with a sport in hand, implying a distinction as giant as seven factors.
Given the present stage of the season, that might be the tip of the highway for Atletico Madrid within the league title race and thus will assist Barcelona solidify their benefit.
Whereas Actual Madrid should be comparatively shut within the standings, being stage on factors with Los Blancos with a sport in hand is a bonus that can’t be ignored as nicely.
All eyes tomorrow evening, thus, will likely be on stabilising the scenario in La Liga and going house with one direct competitor considerably behind on the standings.
Classes to be learnt
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have confronted off twice this season and neither sport is especially price remembering from a Blaugrana fan’s perspective.
From a pure footballing sense, each video games have been joyous to witness as Flick’s males outdid the Madrid-based facet’s defence time and time once more and generated steady waves of assaults on each nights.
Nevertheless, they didn’t win on both event and it’s secure to say that they made the identical mistake on each nights – slacking out on the tail finish of the sport.
Barcelona conceded a late Alexander Sorloth winner in opposition to Atletico Madrid at Montjuic in La Liga in December and gave away treasured factors.
Final month, they confronted off on the identical venue within the Copa del Rey and as soon as once more slacked out within the remaining ten minutes to permit Los Rojiblancos to take house a 4-4 draw that ought to nicely have been a Barcelona win.
Taking to the sector on the Metropolitano tomorrow evening, it’s essential that Barcelona keep tight on the again till the ultimate whistle is blown in order to make sure Atletico Madrid don’t discover any late inroads into the sport.
Additionally equally necessary, evidently, is to make sure that they take their probabilities and are simpler in entrance of Jan Oblak’s purpose.
