Three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid | La Liga GW18 | OneFootball

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid face off for the first time this season tomorrow night at their temporary home in Montjuic.

For months, there were talks of shifting the game to the United States but the deal eventually collapsed and ensured that the game take place as scheduled in Barcelona.

Hansi Flick and Co. will be delighted to have the fans’ backing for the clash against Diego Simeone’s men tomorrow for it will have a massive say in how the title race shapes up.

Both teams have had contrastingly different campaigns so far this season. While Barcelona were on fire until October, they seem to have run out of fuel of late and have seen a big dip in form.

Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, have been on fire since the end of October and are on a run of 11 straight wins since then.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid.

A six-pointer

The La Liga clash this weekend at Montjuic has been spoken about a lot in recent days, and the hype around it is justified if one considers the sheer consequences that the result will bear.

For starters, any game between two of Spain’s top-three teams is one to behold, more so when both teams have made a strong start to the season. However, Saturday’s match has added weight to it when one considers the league standings.

After a flying start to the season, Barcelona have slowed down since November and have struggled in the competition with defeats and draws outnumbering their victories. As a result, they have forfeited their lead and are on 38 points after 18 games.

Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, have been largely consistent in the league and sit on the same point tally as the Catalans, albeit having played one game less.

A win tomorrow for Los Rojiblancos, thus, would take them three points clear of Barcelona with a game in hand, enabling a virtual difference of six points.

Should Barcelona win, however, they will move three points clear of Atletico Madrid and ensure that the Madrid-based side remain on level terms with them even if they win their game in hand.

The margin between victory and defeat tomorrow, thus, is six points and it is all the more valuable when one considers that it will show its effect right at the top of the table.

A massive injury blow

No Lamine Yamal tomorrow. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Hansi Flick and Co. have been unlucky in attack in recent weeks and the fatigue felt by star players including Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha has a big part to play in the same.

With a week’s rest under their belt, one can expect the Catalans attack to turn up fresh tomorrow, although there will be one notable absentee – Lamine Yamal.

The youngster was injured in Barcelona’s game against Leganes and is out for three to four weeks.

Yamal’s absence just ahead of the game against the Colchoneros, needless to say, does not bode well. After all, Barcelona have not fared well in his absence so far this term.

All signs point to Ferran Torres being the man who will replace the winger on the night although it remains to be seen which wing he starts on. While he will provide solutions in front of the goal, it is Yamal’s chance-creation that will be direly missed.

With the Golden Boy unavailable, it will be essential for Dani Olmo and Pedri to step up from midfield with the creative passing. Moreover, the pressure on Jules Kounde will increase for he will not have his usual partner to combine with on the right.

The Montjuic curse

The Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys has served Barcelona well as a foster home over the past year and the Blaugrana may well be tied down to the same venue until next season.

While it has usually bode well for the team to play at Montjuic, however, recent games have not seen any such extra luck.

Barcelona’s last two games at home, after all, have resulted in defeats in La Liga and it is more shocking that both defeats came against teams that were relegation-threatened at the time of the game.

Flick’s men have surprisingly struggled to hold their own at their fortress in recent weeks and the fact that the only two defeats in their last seven games both came at home is worrying.

Taking on Atletico Madrid at home tomorrow, there will thus be a sense of urgency in breaking free from that curse and returning to winning ways at Montjuic. A fiery atmosphere is expected and the president has called for fans to come out in large numbers.

Notably, Atletico Madrid have struggled to defeat Barcelona away from home over the years and Simeone has never gotten the better of them on the road.

Will the Montjuic curse or the Simeone curse prevail tomorrow?