Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona preview: Title showdown at the Wanda Metropolitano

The Wanda Metropolitano is set for a thrilling, table-defining showdown before the international break, as league leaders Barcelona travel to the Spanish capital on March 16th to face a second-placed Atlético Madrid side that are unbeaten at home this season.

After 26 matches, Atletico are firmly in the La Liga title race. They are second on the table, just one point behind leaders Barcelona. With 16 wins, eight draws, and two defeats, they have amassed 56 points so fans with Atletico Madrid tickets are eyeing a stunning title win.

Under Diego Simeone, Atletico are aiming for a treble this season, having maintained excellent form over the last few months. The team is also in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, drawing 4-4 with Barcelona in the first leg of their semi-final clash last month. However, they faced a setback in their quest for the treble after losing 2-1 to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League midweek.

In the first leg of the quarter-final at the Bernabeu, Rodrygo opened the scoring for Madrid before Julian Alvarez equalised for Atletico. However, Brahim Diaz’s late goal secured the win for Los Blancos. Despite this, Atletico remain unbeaten in their last six La Liga matches.

March is a particularly tough month for the Rojiblancos, as they face Madrid twice in the Champions League, followed by a La Liga clash against Barcelona on March 16. The second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final will take place on April 2.

To stay in contention for the title, Atletico must keep winning in La Liga, as both Barcelona and Madrid are unlikely to drop too many points. Last weekend, Atletico secured a 1-0 victory over fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao, with Julian Alvarez scoring his 10th league goal of the season. Alvarez ran onto a brilliant pass from Marcos Llorente and calmly slotted home to give Atletico the lead in the 66th minute.

With this win, Atletico moved to the top of the La Liga standings, momentarily overtaking Barcelona and Real Madrid, who had lost to Real Betis earlier that Saturday. However, Barcelona quickly regained the top spot after a dominant 4-0 win over Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Atletico’s home form have been impressive this season, earning 31 points from their 14 La Liga fixtures at the Wanda Metropolitano. They will now host Barcelona, who have not lost since their 2-1 defeat to Atletico in December.

Barcelona have been a joy to watch this season, with the Catalans scoring 165 goals across 41 matches in all competitions. They have enjoyed a 16-game unbeaten run to start the year, winning 13 of those games. Their attacking prowess has been outstanding, with 71 goals from 26 La Liga matches, the most by any team since 2017, when they scored 76.

The Blaugrana have remained unbeaten across all competitions since December 21, positioning them for a highly successful conclusion to the season.

Currently, under the guidance of Hansi Flick, Barcelona lead the La Liga table with 57 points from 26 games. They hold a one-point advantage over second-placed Atletico and a three-point cushion over third-placed Madrid, the defending champions.

Barcelona are on a six-match winning streak in La Liga, including an impressive 4-0 victory over Real Sociedad last weekend. Remarkably, they have conceded only three goals in La Liga this year, showcasing their solid defensive and attacking balance.

In Europe, Barcelona have also performed well, securing a 1-0 win over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in Portugal, putting them in a strong position to advance to the next round.

Barcelona are comfortably the highest-scoring team in La Liga this season, with 71 goals, and Robert Lewandowski leads the scoring charts with 21 goals. The Polish striker will hope to be at his scoring best against an Atletico side that does not offer much chances to forwards.

Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona match details

• Date: Sunday, March 16th, 2025
• Location: Madrid, Spain
• Venue: Riyadh Air Metropolitano
• Kick-off time: 8:00pm GMT
• Tickets: You can buy Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona tickets through the club exchanges or via trusted resellers such as Seatsnet.com.

Match stats and head-to-head

• Barcelona are embarking on an impressive 16-game unbeaten streak since the start of the year across all competitions, winning 13. Their attacking force has been relentless, with 71 goals scored in 26 games—the most by any team in La Liga since 2017, when they scored 76.

• Barcelona have conceded in the first half of only one of their last 11 La Liga home games.

• The Catalans have been prolific in front of goal this season, scoring 165 goals in their 41 matches across all competitions.

• With 71 goals after 26 La Liga games, Barcelona are leading the way in attack, and this marks the highest total any side has achieved in La Liga since 2017.

• Atletico have been impressive at home, collecting 31 points from 14 La Liga games at the Wanda Metropolitano. They will host a Barcelona team that has not lost a match since their 2-1 defeat to Atletico in December.

• No team has suffered fewer defeats than Atletico, who have only lost twice in the league—against Leganés and Real Betis.

• Barcelona have remained unbeaten in all competitions since December 21, 2023.

• The Blaugrana side will enter this game with five wins in their last six encounters against Atletico.

• Barcelona have won 32 of the last 61 meetings between the two clubs, while Atletico have managed only 14 victories.

• Hansi Flick’s side have conceded just two goals in their last four La Liga games against Atletico.

• The 27-time Spanish champions aim for their 28th as they currently top the La Liga table with 57 points from 26 matches, leading second-placed Atletico by one point and third-placed Real Madrid by three points.

• Barcelona are on a six-game winning streak in the league, including a dominant 4-0 victory over Real Sociedad last weekend. Their defence has also been impressive, conceding only three goals in La Liga this year.

Team news

With a hectic schedule of crucial matches ahead, Diego Simeone has done well in managing his players, rotating the squad to keep most of his team fit this season.

However, experienced defender Cesar Azpilicueta may miss the clash due to a leg injury, and the game against Barcelona could come too soon for the former Chelsea captain to regain full match fitness.

Long-serving captain Koke is also sidelined with a thigh issue. The 33-year-old will be out for a period, and it is uncertain whether he will recover in time for the pivotal clash against Barcelona.

Aside from these injuries, Los Rojiblancos are otherwise fully fit, with Julian Alvarez gearing up to add to his 10-goal tally in La Liga. The former Manchester City striker will likely start ahead of Alexander Sorloth, who scored the winning goal against Barcelona. Marcos Llorente will compete for a spot in the lineup with Giuliano Simeone.

For Barcelona, there is optimism that Gavi will be available for the upcoming match. The midfielder has missed the last two games due to illness but was reportedly close to playing against Benfica, so his return to the squad on Saturday seems likely.

Andreas Christensen has recovered from a recent muscular issue, but it remains uncertain whether he will feature in the match. However, Marc-André ter Stegen and Marc Bernal are still sidelined due to long-term knee injuries.

Pau Cubarsi, who was sent off in the game against Benfica, is eligible to play and is expected to start. Ronald Araújo and Marc Casado are also likely to return to the squad, while Dani Olmo might get the start in the number 10 role over Gavi, given the latter’s recent absence.

Predicted starting lineup

Atletico Madrid predicted starting lineup:

Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Gimenez, Galan; Llorente, De Paul, Barrios, Lino; Griezmann, Alvarez.

Barcelona predicted starting lineup:

Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde; Casado, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski.

Prediction

The race for the La Liga title is intensifying, with every point at this stage proving crucial.

The upcoming clash between Atletico and Barcelona is set to be pivotal. Both teams need maximum points to increase their gap on their rivals.

While Barcelona have  been dominant in this fixture, their first-leg loss at home to Atletico serves as a reminder that they cannot underestimate their opponent’s strengths, particularly in counter-attacks.

This promises to be an exciting match, with both teams’ attacking and defensive prowess on display.

Playing at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, where Atlético have amassed a towering 31 points, would be an advantage against most teams. However, achieving that feat against a Barcelona side that remains unbeaten this year will be daunting.

We’re predicting a 2-2 draw.