Atletico Madrid V Barcelona: Line-ups, Stats And Preview

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Atletico Madrid v Barcelona match preview

Diego Simeone and Carlo Ancelotti might not agree, but neutrals will be hoping Atletico Madrid and Barcelona continue where they left off when the sides meet for a place in the Copa del Rey final following an epic in the first leg of their final-four tie on February 25.

The Spanish heavyweights traded two goals each inside the first 22 minutes at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, where Inigo Martinez and Robert Lewandowski put Barca 4-2 up before an 84th-minute Marcos Llorente reply and Alexander Sorloth’s 93rd-minute equaliser ensured the game finished 4-4.

“We are in great form at the moment and we are creating a lot of chances when we have the ball,” Blaugranes manager Hansi Flick said after the 4-1 home win over Girona on Sunday, moving the victors three points clear of Real Madrid and six above Atleti at the top of LaLiga with the help of two Lewandowski strikes within 17 second-half minutes.

“The great thing about my team is that we always want to score goals and everyone likes to see that. Lewandowski is really important. I don’t like to pick out individuals but he is special inside the box.”

Numbers stay speaking#BarçaGirona | #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/2oGgFZKsjo

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 1, 2025

Barca’s remarkable total of 82 goals after 29 league games is 35 more than Atleti have bagged, and the 10-time Copa del Rey winners’ title challenge is in serious jeopardy after a run of one point from three games.

Juavi Puado’s penalty denied Atleti victory at relegation-threatened Espanyol on Saturday in a match they badly needed to win following a 2-1 defeat at Getafe and a 4-2 loss at home to Barcelona.

Those results mean the Copa del Rey represents by far their best chance of a trophy this season and the form of forward Julian Alvarez, who is the competition top scorer as part of a debut season featuring 23 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions so far, will enhance their optimism.

Atleti will also take encouragement from their status as the last team to beat Barcelona in any competition, Sorloth’s 96th-minute winner in a 2-1 comeback win on December 21 giving them a first victory in the fixture as the away team since February 2006 and ending Simeone’s 17-match winless run against their opponents.

🎙️ About Atleti vs FC Barcelona 👇 pic.twitter.com/Q2Ch1A4eLg

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) March 31, 2025

Atletico Madrid v Barca team news

Flick is likely to restore several players who were rested from his starting line-up against Girona, meaning potential starts in defence for Pau Cubarsi and Alejandro Balde.

Midfielder Frenkie de Jong came on as a substitute and forward Raphinha was not used from the bench following his return from international duty with Brazil.

Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been back in training following a serious knee injury and midfielder Dani Olmo is expected to return by the end of April from an adductor injury.

Lewy in killer mode#BarçaGirona | #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/JkWzoRYtgL

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 1, 2025

Robin Le Normand is likely to be replaced by Jose Maria Gimenez at centre-back for Atleti after being substituted against Espanyol with a head injury.

Changes could be afoot in midfield, where Rodrigo De Paul started the first leg but was on the bench against Espanyol, and Alvarez is likely to return in attack, having initially been rested on Saturday following his return from Argentina action.