A win will be high on Barca’s New Year’s wish list, and having remained unbeaten in four previous top-flight H2Hs when facing Atlético in their first game of a calendar year; there’s reason to believe.
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid made it four consecutive competitive wins with a 2-0 midweek Copa del Rey victory, even as Joao Felix’s club future remains a hot topic. Still, manager Diego Simeone knows that his team needs to continue avoiding distractions. As they start this La Liga round in the top four, but with very few points separating multiple challengers, Atletico can’t afford to let their indifferent six-game league form see them slip in the standings. Simeone may be worried about facing Barcelona, with his personal H2H win rate of 16 per cent across all competitions, his worst against any single club with a minimum of five matches.
Still, consecutive home La Liga H2H wins with clean sheets give him cautious optimism about improving that percentage. Another clean sheet may be a tough act to follow, though, as their 2-0 win over Elche last round was their only clean sheet at the Metropolitano this league campaign.
FC Barcelona
Barcelona needed extra time to defeat third-tier club Intercity during their midweek Copa del Rey game following a fiery 1-1 derby draw against Espanyol. The latter was just the third time that Barca dropped points this league campaign, cancelling their two-point lead over Real Madrid. It has left manager Xavi feeling “uneasy” about not only their title race but a matchup his club have won just once from their last five attempts in a La Liga context. A win will be high on Barca’s New Year’s wish list, and having remained unbeaten in four previous top-flight H2Hs when facing Atlético in their first game of a calendar year; there’s reason to believe. Recent away form further raises hopes as Barça have lost just once on the road this league campaign – although that defeat came in Madrid!
Antoine Griezmann may have a point to prove to old employers, Barcelona, as he looks to add to his three assists in his last two games. In the absence of Robert Lewandowski, Barca may need Ousmane Dembele to be at his creative best to notch a personal-first league H2H win. No La Liga side has picked up fewer points than Atletico after falling behind at any stage.