Atletico Madrid host Barcelona in a huge La Liga clash that could set the tone for the second half of the season. A thrilling fixture could be on the cards here with both teams appearing evenly matched heading into Sunday’s match.
Atletico Madrid have put their early season struggles behind them and head into Sunday’s clash with five straight wins. They are currently 11 points off the pace and while a title charge may not be under consideration at the moment, a couple of favourable results could put them back in contention.
Among the results for Atletico Madrid in that run is a 2-0 victory over Elche in their previous La Liga fixture. They followed that up with a 2-0 victory over lower league side Real Oviedo in a Copa Del Rey clash on Wednesday.
While Atletico Madrid have improved in recent weeks, their record at the Metropolitano remains patchy. Diego Simeone’s men have claimed just one win from their last five home matches, drawing the other four.
Barcelona stumbled slightly in their previous La Liga fixture as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Real Valladolid. They struck early in the contest through Marcos Alonso but were pegged back midway through the second half.
The Catalans were also given a stern test in the Copa Del Rey by lower league side Intercity before edging to a 4-3 extra-time victory. The result means that Xavi’s once seemingly impenetrable defence has now conceded four goals in the last two matches.
Another problem for Barcelona heading to the Metropolitano is that they will be without key players. Top scorer Robert Lewandowski begins the first of a three-match ban while Jordi Alba is also suspended after picking up a red card last time out.
How the bookies view it
Barcelona have the upper hand among the bookies and are priced at 27/20 by Coral to claim the win. Atletico Madrid are considered outsiders at 21/10 by bet365 while a draw is set at odds of 12/5 by William Hill.
Head to head
Barcelona have a 32-18 advantage with 17 draws from 67 previous matches with Atletico Madrid. The last two meetings have ended in a win for the side at home, with Atletico claiming a 2-0 victory in the most recent clash at the Metropolitano.
Players to watch
Alvaro Morata was one of the stars for Spain at the World Cup and appears to have retained that form for Atletico Madrid. The striker was on target last time out against Elche and is priced at 12/5 with William Hill.
With Robert Lewandowski suspended on Sunday, Barcelona will be looking to Ousmane Dembele to provide the spark in attack. The forward was on target in the Copa Del Rey and is priced at 15/4 by Paddy Power to find the net on Sunday.
Anything else catch the eye?
It was a six goal thriller in the last meeting between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona and Sunday’s clash could be tipped to produce a similar outcome. Over 3.5 goals is priced at 13/5 by BetVictor, over 2.5 goals is valued at 10/11 with bet365 while SBK is offering 13/17 on both teams to score.
A tight and cagey opening is expected on Sunday so the second half could be tipped to produce the most goals at 11/10 with Paddy Power. Both teams can also be backed to score in the second half at 9/4 with bet365.
This La Liga match between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will be played on Jan 8, 2023 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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