Los Rojiblancos start the day in fourth place but trail the Catalan leaders by only three points and will move to first with a victory, due to the head-to-head rule used by the Spanish Federation for teams tied on points.

Atleti in excellent shape

Diego Simeone's team is performing strongly ahead of the encounter, remaining unbeaten in 13 consecutive league matches, including a remarkable 5-2 thrashing of their rivals Real .

In fact, their last LaLiga defeat came in the opening match of the season, away in Catalonia againstBarca's city rivals, Espanyol.

Barcelona have returned to Camp Nou after over two years, winning both matches played there so far. Nevertheless, their defense showed vulnerabilities in both games against Athletic Club and Alaves.

They have, however, secured victories in all seven of their home league fixtures this season across three different venues: Estadi Lluis Companys, Estadi Johan Cruyff, and Camp Nou.

Barca leads recent direct encounters

Looking at recent head-to-heads, Atleti remain unbeaten in their last two visits but have only won four matches in all competitions since 2019. In contrast, Barca have claimed eight wins during the same period, with three draws.

In five of their last six meetings, the Catalans have lost just once—a 2-1 home defeat in December 2024—and Hansi Flick will be encouraged by how well his team is performing across various metrics this season.

For instance, Barca tops LaLiga in goals scored (39), shots on target (110), total passes completed (8,985), and passing accuracy (89%). They also rank second in total shots (280) and shot conversion rate (19%).

Atleti boast the most clean sheets so far this 2025/26 season (six) and have conceded the fewest goals (11), setting up a classic Barca vs Atleti clash of unstoppable offense versus immovable defense.

Atleti's dependence onAlvarez

The visitors' heavy dependence on Julian Alvarez could backfire if his teammates don't contribute decisively.

The small-statured Argentine, previously linked with Barca, leads his team this season in league goals (seven), total shots (31), shots on target (17), and chances created (27).

Barca must also keep a close eye on their former player,Antoine Griezmann, however.

The Frenchman's game intelligence is unmatched, and given the hosts' struggles to maintain a tight, organized high defensive line, Griezmann is exactly the kind of player who will exploit those weaknesses.

Lewandowski, Lamine and Raphinha expected to trouble opponents

Regarding Barca's offensive output, the workload is shared. Robert Lewandowski remains the top scorer with eight goals, while Lamine Yamal leads in assists (seven) and total shots (48).

Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have each registered 16 shots on target, and despite missing some matches due to injury, Pedri still dominates in passing. The skillful midfielder has created the most chances (27) and completed the highest number of passes (923).

Both the first and last 15 minutes of the match could offer the most excitement, as both teams are most dangerous during these periods. Barca is most vulnerable in the quarter-hour before halftime, while Atleti's weaknesses tend to show in the final 15 minutes.

Los Rojiblancos have also become the first team in LaLiga history to score first in all 14 league matches this season.

“I wish this would win you a title, but it won’t," Diego Simeone remarked after their recent victory over Real Oviedo. "It's a compliment. Any further remarks will depend on our performance against Barca.

“We won a match we had to win, and now we face a very tough challenge against an opponent we know well and who has huge potential, especially with Pedri and Raphinha back. We are up against a formidable team.”

Goals are almost certain in this match, as it has been 18 league games since the visitors last played a goalless draw, and an incredible 63 games since Barcelona were involved in one.

Raphinha's return adds a new dimension for the hosts, with his man-of-the-match performance against Alaves featuring two assists and constant threat throughout.

“Rafa is a dynamic player. We missed him," Flick commented after the game.

Robin Le Normand and Marcos Llorente will be significant absences for Atleti, while Ronald Araujo's illness rules him out for Barca, who also lack Fermin Lopez and Gavi.