Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will be once again facing each other this campaign. This time, the meeting will be in the Champions League quarter-finals. Unlike in the past few seasons, this is a totally different Atletico Madrid team. It is one that has been perfected by the club’s former player Diego Simeone. They are challenging for Barcelona for the league title. Many expected their challenge to falter in the first half of the season, but they have managed to keep going up until now.
All the meetings between the two teams this campaign have been very closely fought encounters and Barcelona do not expect this to deviate when Atletico Madrid visit the Camp Nou on Tuesday night. Midfielder Xavi says that he certainly does not like playing against Atletico since they do not provide any space or time on the ball. He also thinks that both teams will have enough opportunities to win the match and it will just be decided on who is more clinical.
Atletico Madrid currently lead the la Liga table with a slender one-point advantage over Barcelona. The two clubs will be meeting each other in the league in the final day of the campaign, which could potentially decide the title. The two have not managed comfortable victories over each other this campaign.
“We’re second in the league now but we know we’re up against a very strong team. Atletico Madrid are in brilliant form at the moment. Maybe the only handicap we face is that we play the return leg at the Vicente Calderon, but I think the tie is 50-50. Perhaps we’re slight favourites because of our history. But if we look at how both teams are playing, it’s very even. It’ll be decided by the details,” said Xavi, who has been linked with a move to the MLS in the summer.