Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona: Barca's shaky Champions League away form faces ultimate test in Madrid
Rojiblancos have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals
For the first time in three games, Atletico Madrid claimed an away win against ten-man Barcelona in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal six days ago. The Madrid-based side were dominated in all aspects of the game but still managed to win 2-0 at Camp Nou. Julian Alvarez produced a moment of magic from a free kick, scoring in the 45th minute before super sub Alexander Sorloth put the game beyond doubt with a second goal late in the second half.
Atleti's job is far from being done as they now have to protect their two-goal lead heading into the return leg. The good news is that they are playing in front of their home crowd at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. This venue has brought them plenty of success and their opponents in this upcoming encounter know just how difficult it is to come away with a result here.
Atletico's home matches against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals:
- 09 April 2014 (Quarter-final - Second Leg): Atletico Madrid 1:0 Barcelona
- 13 April 2016 (Quarter-final - Second Leg): Atletico Madrid 2:0 Barcelona
As evidenced by the figures above, the Red and Whites have clearly dominated their opponents at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The question now is: can they build on past results and secure a positive outcome? Find out what our experts have to say in our Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona prediction for more insights into the game.
Beyond that, it's worth noting that they have never lost a home match in the European knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League since the 1996-97 season, when they lost to Ajax. So far, they are unbeaten in their last 21 knockout games. During this period, they recorded 14 wins and seven draws.
Is the European giant on the brink of elimination?
Head coach Hansi Flick and company need a miracle to overcome a 2-0 deficit in this fixture. The tables have turned, and it's them on the road this time around, aiming to end a two-match losing streak against this opponent.
Apart from that, they are 90 minutes away from etching their name into the wrong side of the record books. Failure to secure a win in the return leg would mark the first time in 13 years that Barcelona has failed to win both legs of a European knockout-phase competition.
You will have to go back to the 2012-13 season when Barca lost both legs of a European knockout-phase competition. They suffered a 7-0 aggregate defeat at the hands of Germany's powerhouse Bayern Munich.
The Blaugrana's recent match was a confident booster ahead of this crucial encounter. Four days after their UEFA Champions League setback, they beat Espanyol 4-1 at home in La Liga. That result tightened their grip at the top as they now have a nine-point cushion over second-placed Real Madrid.
Building on that result will be key to their success this Tuesday. Their record at this stage, including their European Cup matches, stands at 16 wins and eight losses in 25 games. However, their away record, particularly against Spanish sides, could stand in the way of a positive result. They have lost seven of their last 11 away European games heading into this clash (W1, D3).
La Arana: Atleti's silent assassin to strike again!
Atletico Madrid are coming off a 2-1 away defeat to Seville in La Liga on Saturday. The outcome was to be expected as head coach Diego Simeone made 10 changes to the starting line-up that got the better of Barcelona in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Among those rotated were several key players, including Julian Alvarez. The World Champion inspired the team's win in the first leg against Barcelona. He rifled home a spectacular free-kick in the 45th minute. That was his ninth goal in 11 appearances in this year's UCL edition.
He also etched his name in the history books, surpassing Diego Costa's record of eight goals in nine appearances during the 2013-14 season. Costa also finished as the third-highest scorer. As things stand, Alvarez could also finish along those lines or even better in the top two.
The numbers go beyond that when you factor in his overall influence in the final third. The Argentine international has made 18 appearances in this competition and has 20 goal contributions for his team. During this period, he scored 15 goals and provided five assists. Rest assured, he will be the focal point once again as Atleti looks to progress to the next stage by getting the job done at home.
