Atletico Madrid Vs Barcelona: Initial Simulation Towards Champions League Semifinals

Jorge Resurreccimen Merodio, alias Koke, captain of Atletico Madrid (photo: x @Atleti)

JAKARTA - Atletico Madrid, now has the best home record in La Liga this season, with 40 points from 14 matches thanks to a record 13 wins and one draw. Now Los Rojiblancos, will face Barcelona at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid, on Sunday 17 March or Monday morning WIB.

Two teams have a record to beat each other. Atletico Madrid's last two wins over Barcelona took place at home. This should give them confidence. However, Atletico have not managed to beat Barcelona outside the home of La Liga since February 2006. In La Liga's last match, they also just lost 2-0 at Cadiz's home.

Meanwhile, Barcelona have just won 3-1 over Napoli in the second leg of the Champions League last 16 to secure their place in the quarter-finals with a 4-2 aggregate.

Barcelona will face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals, and the winner of the match will face Atletico or Dortmund in the semifinals. Meanwhile Manchester City, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich draw on the other hand.

Barcelona have not been beaten in the last nine games in all competitions, and they won 1-0 over Mallorca in La Liga last weekend to stay in the title race.

Xavi Fernandez's side are in third place in the table, one point adrift of second-placed Girona and eight points from Real Madrid leaders, who competed against Osasuna on Saturday afternoon.

Barcelona have won their last four games against Atletico Madrid in La Liga, including a 1-0 win when the two teams meet this season. They have also been unbeaten against Atletico since October 2021.

Meanwhile, Barcelona have the second best away record in La Liga this season, collecting 27 points from 13 games, remaining unbeaten in the process.

Atletico will return without Jose Gimenez and Thomas Lemar who were injured this weekend, while Mario Hermoso is also absent due to thigh problems.

Antoine Griezmann was able to play for 105 minutes against Inter despite a recent injury. The France international is also fit to start the game on Sunday, and he should join Alvaro Morata up front.

Coach Diego Simeone has to assess his player's fitness, but will most likely retain the same line-up as the previous match, except Hermoso, with Samuel Lino trusted as left-back, and Marcos Llorente retaining his midfield position.

Meanwhile, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Gavi, and Alejandro Balde are still absent due to injury to Barcelona. Likewise, Marcos Alonso and Ferran Torres are also expected to be absent.

Lamine Yamal, 16 years old, and Pau Cubarsi, 17 years old, have been called up to the latest Spanish squad, and both are predicted to remain at the starting XI on Sunday, both of which are in excellent form.

Joao Felix has scored against his former La Liga club this season, but the Portugal international is expected to start the match from the bench, where Raphinha will most likely appear on the left.

Andreas Christensen and Fermin Lopez are predicted to fill the center on Sunday, while Robert Lewandowski will try to add goals that have reached 19 in all competitions this season.

Player Composition Forecast

Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Savic, Witsel, Azpilicueta; Molina, Llorente, De Paul, Koke, Lino; Griezmann, Morata

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Cancelo; F Lopez, Christensen, Gundogan; Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha