Overview
Both teams are trying to fight back into the La Liga title race while also trying to secure a Champions League spot for next season, with Barcelona hosting Atletico Madrid this weekend.
Last Game Records
An early-October match between these teams ended with Atletico Madrid holding serve at home in a 2-0 win. Barcelona went into the international break at the end of January with a 1-0 win over Alaves after three straight matches across all competitions without a win.
Atletico Madrid also went into the international break on a winning note, beating Valencia 3-2. However, that also snapped a three-match winless streak for the Mattress Makers.
Matchup Information
- Kickoff is at 10:15 am EST
- Sunday, February 6
- Camp Nou, Barcelona
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid Betting Analysis
Barcelona Betting Analysis
This season has been anything but ordinary for Barcelona, as the club is adapting to life without Lionel Messi. Barca currently finds itself fifth in La Liga, putting them outside of the Champions League spots and far from the title race. However, they will enter February with new life after making some moves during the January transfer window.
The hope for Barcelona is that the additions of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Adamo Traore can help jumpstart their attack. The Spanish heavyweights rank just seventh in La Liga in goals scored this season. Outside of Memphis Depay, nobody on the roster has more than three goals in league play through 21 games.
Defensively, Barcelona has been solid this season, although that’s not typically the driving force in teams at Camp Nou. To their credit, Barcelona kept clean sheets in two of the club’s three league games in January. However, that was after failing to keep a clean sheet in December.
Atletico Madrid Betting Analysis
Atletico Madrid hasn’t fared much better than Barcelona this season. The Mattress Makers are just one point ahead of Barcelona in the table, putting them 14 points behind their intra-city rivals, who lead La Liga at the moment. At the moment, Atletico is in a tough fight for the fourth and final Champions League spot.
Unlike past seasons, Diego Simeone’s team is not one of the elite defensive sides in Spain. Atletico is middle of the pack in that category, conceding 26 goals in 21 matches. In fact, they have allowed at least two goals in their last four matches across all competitions.
On the bright side, the Atletico attack should head into February with plenty of confidence after rallying late to beat Valencia right before the international break. Angel Correa and Luis Suarez have done most of the damage this season, combining for 15 of the club’s 36 goals in La Liga matches. The likes of Yannick Carrasco, Thomas Lemar, and even Antoine Griezman also give Atletico plenty of firepower.
Team Updates
Unfortunately for both teams, there could be some key absences in this match. For Barcelona, Aubameyang could be questionable to play just because he wasn’t playing regularly before the transfer window, so he may not be match-fit.
For Atletico, Suarez could be in need of a break after playing twice for his national team last week, potentially keeping him from facing his former Barcelona teammates.
- Atletico Madrid has allowed eight goals over its last four matches in all competitions.
- Four of Barcelona’s last seven matches across all competitions have had two goals or less.
- Barcelona has scored at least one goal in six straight La Liga matches.
- Atletico Madrid has four losses and just two wins in its last seven La Liga matches.
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid Betting Preview
In a way, both teams will feel good heading into this match. Atletico was able to shake off a terrible December and start performing better in January. That win over Valencia before the international break should be a huge confidence boost for them, especially since they sit in fourth place ahead of Barcelona.
Meanwhile, the Catalonian side will feel good about adding quality players during the transfer window. Whether it’s enough to make them play like a traditional heavyweight remains to be seen. But there should be some excitement at Camp Nou following a successful transfer window.
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid Betting Prediction
The latest betting information lists Barcelona as a favorite in this match. Barca’s moneyline is around +130, while Atletico Madrid has a moneyline of +205. Of course, the most lucrative moneyline is for a draw at +230.
While Barcelona is the favorite, in part because they are playing at home, it’s still hard to assume that they are the better side. As long as Atletico doesn’t revert back to the team it was in December; they have every reason to believe they can get a result on the road.
The caveat is that Atletico has grown accustomed to playing high-scoring games, whereas most of Barcelona’s recent matches have had goals at a premium.
How to Bet Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
The most value in this matchup is betting on a draw. Both sides have optimism as well as uncertainty coming back from the international break.
They are also right next to each other in the La Liga standings, so there may not be much to separate them. Barcelona shouldn’t expect an immediate improvement from its January additions, making a stalemate a likely outcome.
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