In the 35th round of La Liga, third-ranked Barcelona will host the table-leading "Bedlam Army" Atletico Madrid in a matchup that is as much a title showdown as anything else!
The La Liga title race is in flux, and after 34 rounds of intense fighting, Atletico Madrid is leading with 76 points, while Real Madrid and Barcelona are tied with 74 points, with Real Madrid narrowly occupying the second spot. With only 4 rounds left, this duel between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid is crucial for both sides, especially for Barcelona, where victory is the only way out.
Although Barcelona beat Valencia on the road last weekend, an unexpected defeat against Granada in the previous round caused them to lose the initiative in the La Liga title race. In order to win the title, apart from winning all their remaining four matches, they also need to hope that Real Madrid will make mistakes. Manager Ronald Koeman is unable to conduct the game on the spot due to a ban, which is certainly a big blow to Barcelona.
Messi scored twice in the last round to consolidate his lead in the top scorer list. Facing the defense of Atlético de Madrid, Messi is still the most reliable point of attack for Barcelona. Messi scored 32 goals and 5 assists in 42 previous matches against Atlético Madrid, and Barcelona achieved an outstanding record of 24 wins, 10 draws and 8 losses.
Atlético de Madrid won a narrow victory over Elche on the road last round, leading the table with a two-point advantage, and Simeone's team still holds the initiative to compete for the title. But this matchup will be their biggest test, and if they lose, they may lose the lead.
It is worth mentioning that Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez will return to the Camp Nou to face his old masters, and we will see if the Uruguayan can fight back and prove Barcelona's decision wrong.
The two teams met 167 times in La Liga history, Barcelona with 75 wins, 41 draws and 51 losses to prevail, of which in the home Barcelona record of 50 wins, 20 draws and 13 losses. In the first round of this season, Barcelona was defeated by Atletico Madrid 0-1 on the road.
In the relegation battle, third-bottom Huesca are away to Cadiz, while Alaves, just one point above the drop zone, host Levante, with both sides fighting for relegation.
