Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid: Preview, Predictions and Lineups
With a place in the final on the line, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid are set to clash in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals on Tuesday night.
Diego Simeone’s men come into the all-important fixture with a commanding 4–0 lead off the back of a sensational performance at the Metropolitano. After an Eric García own goal opened the scoring, Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julián Alvarez piled on to send the Catalans back home under a cloud of shame.
Barcelona were decimated by injuries for the clash, though, that is a problem they no longer have—to such an extent—for Tuesday’s contest. Yet even the big names in Hansi Flick’s XI will have to pull off a miraculous performance to keep their Copa del Rey title defense alive.
The Catalans will hope to channel their impressive 4–1 victory over Villarreal at the weekend in the cup fixture, but Atlético Madrid will also be full of confidence as they enjoy a four-game unbeaten run.
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Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid Score Prediction
Barcelona to Secure the Victory, But Not a Place in the Final
After such a lopsided defeat in the first leg, expect Barcelona to come out firing from the opening whistle. With Pedri and Raphinha back for the second leg, the team should have no problem controlling the game and getting on the scoresheet.
But the defending cup champions also come with a vulnerable backline, one that Atlético Madrid made a mockery of in the first leg. The same problems will be present on Tuesday night, opening the door for Diego Simeone’s men to strike on the counter attack and contribute to another high-scoring affair.
Barcelona have the confidence and the firepower to come out on top, but it will likely not be enough to dig themselves out of the four-goal hole they buried their Copa del Rey chances in at the Metropolitano.
- Barcelona Perfect at Home: Since returning to the Camp Nou in November, the Catalans have won their last 10 home matches. Flick’s men have turned the iconic venue into a fortress.
- Historical Head-to-Head Record: The two clubs have met 248 times over the last century, and Barcelona’s 113 wins outweigh Atlético Madrid’s 78. Only 57 of their clashes have ended in a draw.
- Alvarez, Sørloth’s Return to Form: Simeone’s two biggest threats up top have been on fire as of late. In February alone, Alvarez and Sørloth have combined for six goals in the team’s last three games.
Prediction: Barcelona 3–2 Atlético Madrid (Atlético Madrid advance 6–3 on aggregate)
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Atlético Madrid
Flick will be unable to call on the injured Andreas Christensen and the suspended Eric García, who saw red at the Metropolitano, in central defense. Now, with Barcelona’s Copa del Rey berth on the line, the German boss will likely deploy Gerard Martín alongside Pau Cubarsí.
Pedri’s return gives the Catalans a much-needed boost in the midfield, but his partner Frenkie de Jong is sidelined until April with a hamstring injury. Gavi would have been the ideal replacement, but the 21-year-old is easing his way back from a long-term knee injury. Instead, all signs point to Dani Olmo dropping deeper to fill the Dutchman’s place.
Robert Lewandowski is also unavailable for the clash due to a fractured eye socket, putting the pressure on Ferran Torres to rediscover his form up top amid a concerning decline in the new year.
Barcelona predicted lineup vs. Atlético Madrid (4-2-3-1): J. García; Koundé, Cubarsí, Martín, Balde; Pedri, Olmo, Yamal, López, Raphinha; Torres.
Atlético Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona
Simeone must work around two major absences in the midfield: Pablo Barrios and Johnny Cardoso. The former is nursing a thigh injury that has kept him out of action for the last four weeks while the latter suffered a hamstring issue at the weekend.
Without either option available, Marcos Llorente and Koke are expected to get the nod in the middle of the park. Ademola Lookman is also set to feature and will hope to replicate the success he found in the first leg, where he bagged a goal and an assist.
First-choice goalkeeper Jan Oblak will once again make way for Juan Musso between the posts. Julián Alvarez and Alexander Sørloth will hope to give the Argentine shot-stopper even more of a cushion to fall back upon on Tuesday night.
Atlético Madrid predicted lineup vs. Barcelona (4-4-2): Musso; Molina, Hancko, Pubill, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman; Álvarez, Sørloth.
What Time Does Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid Kick Off?
- Location: Barcelona, Spain
- Stadium: Camp Nou
- Date: Tuesday, March 3
- Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. GMT
How to Watch Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid on TV, Live Stream
Country | TV/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United States | ESPN Select, ESPN App, fuboTV |
United Kingdom | Premier Sports 1 |
Canada | Not televised |
Mexico | Sky Sports Mexico, Sky+, izzi |
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