| Odds via 22bet | |
| Barcelona vs Atlético de Madrid | Saturday, December 21, 2024, 21:00 GMT+1 |
| Barcelona odds | 1.864 |
| Atlético de Madrid odds | 3.76 |
| Draw | 3.96 |
| Over\Under | Total 2,5: 1.54/2.35 |
At the end of November, Barcelona’s head coach Hansi Flick said he didn’t like November. His team experienced its first decline that month and never recovered by the looks of it. December wasn’t much better, although the holiday season offers some consolation.
December looked promising, starting with a 5-1 victory away from home against Mallorca.
The first half felt dull, but the second half was inspired by Flick’s tweaks to the system. The following game against Real Betis was the exact opposite. Barcelona was leading 2-0 until the 80th minute. Everything seemed to indicate they would take all three points home, but, due to complacency, the Catalans conceded two in the last ten minutes, leading to a disappointing 2-2 draw.
Barcelona defeated Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park, as Ferrán Torres scored the winner in the 85th minute. It was hardly a convincing triumph, but the Catalans needed to ensure the victory at any cost after a difficult beginning in the Champions League.
They hosted Léganes expecting to win but lost after conceding in the 4th minute. The team continually attacked but couldn’t break through, as Lewandowski’s efforts failed to find the net.
Barcelona are still first in La Liga with 38 points, but a draw or victory by Atlético de Madrid would be enough to overtake them. Real Madrid are also one point behind, and their match in hand against Valencia is likely to see them claim the top spot.
| Recent Form | LWDWL |
| Key Player to Watch | Pedri |
| Team Strengths | Strong technical skill, strong team cohesion, high-pressing and offside trap |
| Team Weaknesses | Injuries, independence on Lamine Yamal, difficulties keeping up the pressure through the months |
| Key injuries and suspensions. | Marc-André ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Lamine Yamal |
Atlético de Madrid didn’t start as favourites – they relied on Griezmann, while Julián Alvarez struggled to adapt. However, as the season advanced, the tables turned around.
Real Madrid and Barcelona struggled to maintain their early-season tempo, while Atlético claimed the second place. Alvarez has now fully integrated team dynamics while Pablo Barrios returned to the team, essential for their midfield.
Los Rojiblancos have not been defeated since their 1-0 loss to Real Betis on October 27. Their reputation as a defensive team doesn’t reflect their playstyle anymore. They concede more than they used to, but have become a high-scoring team. Still, conceding less remains the focus, as they only conceded 11 goals in 17 matches. For comparison, Barcelona conceded 20, and Real Madrid 16.
Diego Simeone’s team defeated Slovan Bratislava 3-1 and advanced to the next stage of the Copa del Rey with a 3-1 win over CP Cacereño.
| Recent Form | WWWWW |
| Key Player to Watch | Antoine Griezmann |
| Team Strengths | Rapid counter-attacks, strong Griezmann-Alvarez pairing, strong chance creation |
| Team Weaknesses | Lack of defensive solidity, no imposing presence in the penalty box, weak squad depth |
| Key injuries and suspensions. | Thomas Lemar, Borjas Garcés |
Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid met each other 71 times, 37 of which ended in Barça winning (50%). Atlético won 17 matches, and the two teams drew 17 games.
Barcelona won the last encounter in March, with Felix, Lewandowski, and Fermín López on the scoresheet. Atlético last defeated Barça in 2021, as Thomas Lemar and Luis Suárez scored to make it 2-0.
Atlético de Madrid are notorious struggling in Barcelona, where they have not won a La Liga fixture since February 2006.
Bet hereThe easy and most logical choice would’ve been to pick Lamine Yamal. However, his injury in the match against Léganes forced him out for the next three weeks. Choosing Raphinha or Lewandowski seems like a logical choice, but the two stars are going through a rough patch.
This leaves the spot to Pedri, one of Barcelona’s only high-performing players in the nightmare against Léganes. The Canarian keeps finding chances when everything seems lost, as he laid several chances on the plate for Lewandowski. History may not remember it, but Pedri could have turned the game around if Lewandowski had converted his chances.
For Atlético de Madrid, there’s no choice but the Alvarez/Griezmann pair. It took some time, but they’ve found a way to coexist. Griezmann serves as the creative force and Alvarez roams the box based on Griezmann’s movements.
Barcelona often dominate their matches against Atlético, adopting a proactive approach. However, Diego Simeone has not faced Hansi Flick. This adds intrigue to the encounter, as Atlético have historically struggled against the high-tempo play of German teams in the Champions League.
For Hansi Flick, this encounter is a difficult one without Lamine Yamal and full of players who lack confidence. He relies heavily on the attacking efficiency of his forwards, which has been a significant issue in recent weeks.
Any analysis would be incomplete without mentioning Atlético’s struggles in Barcelona. The Montjuic stadium is nowhere near as imposing as the Camp Nou, but the tradition of beating Atlético in the Catalan capital remains intact.
However, Barça cannot walk into the match blind while Atlético are one of the most in-form teams in the league. Barcelona are likely to win, but the match will be challenging without a suitable alternative to Lamine Yamal.
Julián Alvarez was always expected to shine under Diego Simeone, but his adaptation hasn’t been as smooth as expected. However, the time has come, with the Argentinian scoring five goals in the last six encounters. Rodrigo de Paul has also been instrumental in delivering passes in the final third, enabling Alvarez to excel in front of goal.
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