The teams are tied at the top of the competition with 38 points – Atlético has one game in hand.
Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid will face off next Saturday, 21st, at the Olímpico Lluís Companys stadium, for the 18th round of La Liga. Both teams are tied at the top of the competition with 38 points, but Atlético has one game in hand. Find the top football updates at football match live score.
La Liga is heating up. The team coached by Hansi Flick took an early lead in the season, and the most optimistic fans expected a relatively smooth competition, especially due to the inconsistency of their biggest rival, Real Madrid. However, the period of inconsistency is now with the Catalans, allowing their rivals to close the gap.
Barcelona hasn’t won in La Liga for five games. During this period, they had two draws and three losses. Their last victory was against Espanyol in the 12th round at the beginning of November – in this stretch, Barcelona also won 5-1 against Mallorca in an advanced game of the 19th round.
On the other hand, Atlético de Madrid has been on the rise and has closed the gap to the leader, positioning themselves as strong title contenders. While Barcelona earned just two points in five games, Atlético had a 100% record and surged up the table. So far, Diego Simeone’s team has lost only one match in La Liga.
Real Madrid also has a big interest in the match. Currently in third place with 37 points, one behind the leaders, Carlo Ancelotti’s team can take the lead in the event of a draw between Barcelona and Atlético. The Madrid side will face Sevilla, in 11th place, on Sunday, 22nd, at the Santiago Bernabéu. Stay ahead of the curve with ToSport.