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Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid Preview: Odds, Tips and Predictions

Barcelona will play host to Atletico Madrid at the weekend, it truly is an enticing encounter given the impact it will have at the top of the La Liga table! Barcelona have been patchy at times this year, but their quality is undeniable, Atletico Madrid have been nothing short of brilliant. Compare the best football betting sportsbooks to find the most competitive odds and bonuses for this exciting match.

Ryan Liberty
Ryan Liberty

Last Updated: 2024-12-17

Chad Nagel

6 minutes read

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Antoine Griezmann of Atletico de Madrid celebrates scoring his team's second goal

Antoine Griezmann//Getty Images

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Barcelona Firm Favourites

  1. Home: 6/10 (1.6) – 58%

  2. Draw: 3/1 (4.0) – 23%

  3. Away: 39/10 (4.9) – 19%

Head-To-Head Record

Last five meetings (La Liga)

  1. 17/03/2024: Atletico Madrid 0–3 Barcelona

  2. 03/12/2023: Barcelona 1–0 Atletico Madrid 

  3. 08/01/2023: Atletico Madrid 0–1 Barcelona

  4. 06/02/2022: Barcelona 4–2 Atletico Madrid 

  5. 02/10/2021: Atletico 2–0 Barcelona

Barcelona Current Form – WWDWW

Barcelona have taken full advantage of playing at home this season, and that isn’t to say they have struggled on the road either. Yes, they suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Las Palmas, but other than that, Hansi Flick’s side have won five from five at home.

Granted, they have let Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid back into the title race since the November international break and if Madrid are to win their game in hand, they will claim the top spot on the La Liga table. 

This will be a tricky game for the hosts, they can expect to have all of the possession – but also enjoy all of the pressure to take the game to their guests. It really is a game of opposing identities which only makes it more intriguing for us to enjoy. 

Key Players to Watch

  • Raphinha: This could very well be the most underrated player in world football at the moment. The difference between this season and his previous season is nothing short of astonishing! Hansi Flick has evidently brought the best out of him, and he has been incredibly important for Barcelona this year.
  • Robert Lewandowski: Having the expectation that your striker will continue to score more and more goals is one thing, but having one who actually delivers on that expectation is an entirely different matter.
    He truly is an enigma at the head of this Barcelona attack!
  • Inigo Martinez: Seen as a supposed pretty boy when he first joined Barcelona, Martinez has become an aggressive defender. He has shown a fighting mentality needed at one of the biggest clubs in the world and alongside his impressive defensive statistics – he adds to his side’s attacking outputs!

Barcelona Team News

Andres Christensen (Achilles tendon injury), Ansu Fati (hamstring injury), Marc-Andre ter Stegan (knee injury) are all doubtful of appearing for Barcelona. 

Atletico Madrid Current Form – WWWWW

At the time of writing, Atletico Madrid are on a massive ten-match winning streak in all competitions! Through this run of tremendous form, they have regained their relevance in La Liga and Europe. 

Many make the mistake of overlooking Atletico when considering the title in Spain. For us, this adds to the passionate inspiration of a manager like Diego Simeone and his players. They are often under the radar – which might come in handy every now and again.

They are three points off the top of the table, Atletico are a side who rarely lack spirit and in truth, forget them at your peril

Key Players to Watch

  • Julian Alvarez: The short time it has taken Alvarez to settle into his role at Atletico has been pivotal to his incredible impact. In his first season, he has added incredible value to their attacking impotence and together with his movement off the ball, he has proven to be an incredibly dangerous player to come across.
  • Antoine Griezmann: A player who needs no introduction, he has been a true servant to Atleti and continues to produce for them even now. A lethal finisher and an incredibly smart player in the final third, Griezmann will be vital should they hope for a result away at Barcelona.
  • Jan Oblak: A simple yet incredibly versatile keeper. He has proven over and over again that his shot-stopping ability is second to none, his distribution and decision-making have allowed his team to alleviate pressure in big moments and the confidence he brings to their defensive line is largely underestimated.

Atletico Madrid Team News

Atletico have no injury concerns going into this fixture. 

Predicted Line-Up

  1. Barcelona: 4-2-3-1

    Pena, Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde, Casado, Pedri, Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha, Lewandowski.

  2. Atletico Madrid: 4-4-2

    Oblak, Llorente, Gimenez, Lenglet, Galan, Simeone, Barrios, De Paul, Lino, Griezmann, Alvarez.

Suggested Bets

These are our suggested bets ahead of this massive encounter.

  1. Atletico Madrid Win/Draw (Double Chance): This game might just come at the right time for Atletico Madrid. They are in a great run of form and are playing with absolute freedom. Barcelona will have to bring the game to them and that suits the visitors even more.  23/20 (2.15) with Betway and 1xBet

  2. Both Teams to Score: The attacking quality these two teams possess pretty much makes this prediction on its own. We are backing both teams to find the back of the net here. 33/50 (1.66) with Betway and 1xBet

  3. Under 3.5 Goals: What might seem like a paradox at first, we don’t think this game will be tremendously high-scoring. They don’t usually turn into goal festivals when Atleti are in town, and we don’t think this one does either. 5/10 (1.5) with Betway and 1xBet

Value Bets

  1. Draw: Backing the draw here might be the shrewd play, neither side will want to lose it. Atletico will be happy to keep things tight and take their chances as they fall, while Barcelona might feel the pinch of having to take the game forward without leaving too many open spaces. 3/1 (4.0) with Betway and BetWinner

  2. 1st Half - Barcelona: History doesn’t lie, and when you consider that Barcelona have led at the end of the first half against Atletico Madrid in 9 of the last 12 games, having a dabble on Barcelona here at 11/10 (2.1) with Betway and BetWinner might be the way to go.

  3. Goal Range (2-3): In line with our arguments outlined above, backing a goal range of 2-3 goals serves up enough value to earn a spot on those weekend multiples.  23/20 (2.15) with Betway and 1xBet

Prediction: Atletico Madrid Win/Draw Double Chance

Atletico continue to fly well under the radar, they have drawn little to no attention to themselves and are happy to just go about their business. They have put together an incredible run of form and in truth, come into this game possibly as the side with the greater display of confidence and consistency. 

There is an incredible amount of value to be found in backing Simeone’s men – and we suggest you do just that!

Ryan Liberty
Ryan LibertyBetting Writer

Ryan Liberty is an experienced sports writer whose articles have featured in some of the biggest sports publications in South Africa. With a strong understanding of all major sports and an in-depth understanding of betting, Ryan consistently delivers insightful content. He's also known for his ability to break down complex topics into engaging, reader-friendly pieces.

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