A look ahead to a fascinating triple-header between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid

[p][a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HbKv2C5cqNXj1Cz05ktgJ?si=s_lrrTpgTJazbYM4vF75Fg"][b]Listen to an audio version of this article on Spotify here.[/b][/a][/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/atl-madrid-jaarqpLQ/barcelona-SKbpVP5K/?mid=G6kwDN9d"]first meeting comes in LaLiga[/a] at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, where Los Rojiblancos have a fine record this season.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atleti[/a]'s sensational LaLiga home form[/h2][p]13 wins, one draw, and just one loss in 15 Spanish top-flight games mean that the Catalan giants could be up against it if they want to earn the three points, which would keep them at least four clear of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] at the top of the table.[/p][p]Hansi Flick and his squad also won't want to be reminded of what happened to them the last time they visited the stadium.[/p][image alt="Barcelona and Atletico Madrid - Current league positions" id="e364e451-f380-410c-8482-3d61a74d0bb4" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="21fc430d-805e-4b06-8944-8ce28a482809" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Back in mid-February, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barca[/a] were demolished in the first-half of the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final, with Atleti scoring four unanswered goals.[/p][p]Though the Blaugranes at least restored some pride with a 3-0 second leg win, it wasn't enough to stop Atleti getting to the final, where they'll play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-sociedad/jNvak2f3/"]Real Sociedad[/a].[/p][h2]Barca hold recent H2H advantage[/h2][p]Diego Simeone may even have to consider his selection for the third in this trio of games, as it comes just a few days before that Copa del Rey final, which, at the moment, is Atleti's best chance of silverware this season.[/p][p]In terms of recent H2H results going back to March 2024, aside from their Spanish Cup win, Atleti have won just one other match, at Camp Nou in December 2024.[/p][image alt="Atletico Madrid v Barcelona - Recent H2H results" id="f45b27a8-1c7f-411e-a59a-6b6512a36bea" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="bce00a24-e3ba-4e92-9d4e-4ec3df4fed79" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]There has been one draw (4-4) between the sides in that time, and Barcelona have won the other five fixtures (including the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg) with a balance of 14 goals scored and three conceded.[/p][p]Both [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnny-cardoso/v5Xtt1xa/"]Johnny Cardoso[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/llorente-marcos/z3D5zvbD/"]Marcos Llorente[/a] are suspended for Atleti in the league game, and they could also be without [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oblak-jan/SYy8ZHN9/"]Jan Oblak[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barrios-pablo/AaZiGJ9E/"]Pablo Barrios[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pubill-pages-marc/8EZ7QILP/"]Marc Pubill[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendoza-rodrigo/YNiXFzek/"]Rodri Mendoza[/a] through injury.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raphinha/xtBsDPam/"]Raphinha[/a] heads a list of Barca absentees[/h2][p]Barca have their own injury concerns with one of their most important players, Raphinha, coming back from international duty with a hamstring injury that will keep him out for five weeks.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/christensen-andreas/ShxiZhJI/"]Andreas Christensen[/a] is still nowhere near fit, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-jong-frenkie/A1F3rz9c/"]Frenkie de Jong[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/balde-alejandro/6c0CXHVM/"]Alejandro Balde[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kounde-jules/v36QVRPu/"]Jules Kounde[/a] are all struggling to make the squad.[/p][embed guid="71474d91-70b4-4265-9a08-1fc5c7479a23" url="https://x.com/FCBarcelona/status/2037608967048667401" social-type="twitter" /][p]The win is vital to both sides as a loss for the Catalans offers Los Blancos the chance to move within one point of their eternal rivals, whilst a loss for Atleti and a win for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/villarreal/lUatW5jE/"]Villarreal[/a] would take the latter four points ahead of the mattress makers in the race for a third-place finish.[/p][p]That's arguably the best league finish that Simeone and his squad can hope for, given that Real Madrid are already two places and 12 points ahead of them at present.[/p][h2]Champions League challenge[/h2][p]Regardless of the outcome of the first match, just four days later, the teams do battle again, this time at Camp Nou in the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/atl-madrid-jaarqpLQ/barcelona-SKbpVP5K/?mid=8pBGO97F"]Champions League quarter-final first leg[/a].[/p][p]The usual platitudes will be trotted out at the end of that match about it only being 'half time' in the game, but should one or the other hold a sizeable advantage, that could prove to be a winning lead.[/p][image alt="Champions League first-leg pre-match info" id="933ce4f4-b822-4434-9907-366fe21331b3" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="fb05437b-3c1d-4794-8ad1-8d6a3042d10f" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Barcelona have won every game that they've played at home this season, and will surely aim to stay on the front foot throughout.[/p][p]One matter that could complicate things for the hosts is that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fermin/2c2ipETG/"]Fermin Lopez[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lamine-yamal/lAt3vEub/"]Lamine Yamal[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martin-gerard/nBVu0v9a/"]Gerard Martin[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/casado-marc/tAhLmeJb/"]Marc Casado[/a] are all one yellow card away from suspension.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sporting-cp/tljXuHBC/"]Sporting[/a] await[/h2][p]Atleti also have to consider the possibilities in this regard, too, as all of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lenglet-clement/rH0mL7ws/"]Clement Lenglet[/a], Giuliano Simeone, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/le-normand-robin/8GVQFgH4/"]Robin Le Normand[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/almada-thiago/CSKGShgi/"]Thiago Almada[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruggeri-matteo/0WPEP3LT/"]Matteo Ruggeri[/a], Barrios, Pubill and Llorente would suffer the same fate with a booking.[/p][p]Given that Simeone likes his players to be physical and imposing, it's fair to suggest that Atleti are the ones walking a tightrope in this regard.[/p][embed guid="e26a6ccb-33a5-4ec4-885d-53e965b1fdf1" url="https://x.com/ChampionsLeague/status/2034724046571548801" social-type="twitter" /][p]Before the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/atl-madrid-jaarqpLQ/barcelona-SKbpVP5K/?mid=GAEOMmxS"]third instalment on April 14[/a], Barcelona host [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/espanyol/QFfPdh1J/"]Espanyol[/a] in what's expected to be a fiery Catalan derby, whilst Atleti have to travel to Sevilla and will play later on Saturday.[/p][p]The threat of suspension for a Champions League semi-final vs Arsenal or Sporting will likely remain for the aforementioned players.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lewandowski-robert/MVC8zHZD/"]Lewandowski[/a]'s disappointment and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alvarez-julian/bBHauDIC/"]Alvarez[/a]'s tiredness[/h2][p]There's also the potential for Atleti's stars to miss the Spanish Cup final, and that might weigh heavily on players who will almost certainly have to give every last drop of effort to ensure it's they who will remain in the hunt for the UCL.[/p][p]For Barca, although [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/torres-ferran/AVAVLaLt/"]Ferran Torres[/a] is just two goals behind Lamine's 14 in the league this season, Flick is likely to prefer Robert Lewandowski to lead the line, even though the Polish international will quickly need to put his World Cup disappointment behind him if he wants to help fire Barca to glory in what could be his final season at the club.[/p][embed guid="6f3fe30e-4d74-414b-b946-570ffae9386b" url="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2039080174793179449" social-type="twitter" /][p]Julian Alvarez remains Atleti's dangerman, but after a gruelling return journey to Argentina in midweek, and for a friendly no less, the diminutive striker, who has been consistently linked with a summer move to Barca, might find it difficult to execute the game plan for a full 90 minutes.[/p][p]What an intriguing set of fixtures awaits...[/p][image alt="Jason Pettigrove" id="7ff463b8-8c58-4ed5-9cbc-518f28aab8e2" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="4ece459c-95d7-4ad3-8ffb-d8479135eafb" original-width="1200" original-height="380" /]