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Atletico and Barcelona set for a close encounter

26/02/17
Atletico and Barcelona set for a close encounter
Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock.com

This Sunday’s big game in La Liga is no doubt at the Vicente Calderon where Atletico Madrid host Barcelona in a crucial clash.

The home team are in the rather unusually position of fourth this season, as Los Rojiblancos are accustomed to fighting it out for the title with Sunday’s opponents and arch-rivals Real Madrid.

However, Diego Simeone’s team are currently trailing leaders Real by seven points, while they are also six points behind second-place Barcelona. A win in this game is vital, as the men from Madrid aim to get back into the top-three of La Liga.

Simeone’s side's form has improved of late in La Liga, with three consecutive wins and they are also unbeaten in eight games in the Spanish top-flight.

Los Rojiblancos are difficult opponents at the Vicente Calderon, as they have recorded 15 wins from 18 La Liga outings at home. However, they have a poor recent record against the visitors, winning just two of the last ten meetings between the two sides.

Barcelona head to the Spanish capital hoping to move back to the top of La Liga, at least for a couple of hours anyway. The champions would move two points clear of Real Madrid, who play in the night-time kick-off at Villarreal.

Their form may have been unconvincing of late, but Luis Enrique’s side have won their last three league games, scoring 11 goals in the process and conceding just one. The visitors have also scored 15 goals in their last five away games in La Liga.

These two teams have been solid in defence this season, as they have the joint-second best defences in La Liga, with Villarreal the only team to concede fewer goals this season in the Spanish top-flight.

Forebet predicts that Barcelona will emerge from this clash with a victory and move to the top of the table. However, no doubt this game will be a very tight one.

La Liga
OVERALL TABLE PTS GP W D L +/-
1
Real Madrid 78 31 24 6 1 47
2
Barcelona 70 31 21 7 3 28
3
Girona 65 31 20 5 6 24
4
Atlético Madrid 61 31 19 4 8 23
5
Athletic Bilbao 58 32 16 10 6 22
6
Real Sociedad 50 31 13 11 7 12
7
Valencia 47 31 13 8 10 2
8
Real Betis 45 31 11 12 8 1
9
Villarreal 39 31 10 9 12 -5
10
Getafe 39 31 9 12 10 -6
11
Osasuna 39 31 11 6 14 -8
12
Las Palmas 37 31 10 7 14 -6
13
Sevilla 34 31 8 10 13 -5
14
Deportivo Alavés 32 31 8 8 15 -12
15
Real Mallorca 31 31 6 13 12 -11
16
Rayo Vallecano 31 31 6 13 12 -13
17
Celta Vigo 28 31 6 10 15 -13
18
Cadiz 25 31 4 13 14 -20
19
Granada CF 18 32 3 9 20 -28
20
UD Almería 14 31 1 11 19 -32

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