PREVIEW | FC Barcelona v Atlético Madrid

This Sunday sees Barça take on Atlético Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou in La Liga at 4.15pm CEST with April 23 always a significant date in the blaugrana calendar as it is 'la diada de Sant Jordi' (St.George's Day), the patron saint of Catalonia. 

No relaxing

Barça cannot afford to relax even though they have an 11 point lead over second placed Real Madrid in La Liga. Sunday's opponents Atlético are in third place in the table some 13 points behind Xavi's team but they are the form side in la Liga after an impressive recent run in the domestic competition. 

Head to head 

Back in January the blaugranes took a 1-0 win at the Civitas Metropolitano thanks to a goal from Ousmane Dembélé. Last season's meeting at Spotify Camp was a cracker with Barça coming out on top 4-2 in a game that included some fantastic strikes which you can check out in the video below. In the league Barça have not lost to Atlético at home since 2006 when Fernando Torres grabbed a brace in a 3-1 win for 'los colchoneros.' 

Atlético in form 

Diego Simeone's team are the side on a roll at the moment in La Liga following six wins in their last six matches. Their excellent streak stretches back to the defeat against the blaugranes as since that reverse in January they have gone on a 13 games unbeaten run in the league with 10 wins and three draws in that time. Former blaugrana Memphis Depay will be missing due to injury for the visitors but the Dutch striker has done well since joining Atlético, scoring four goals in nine games in the league after signing for the Madrid club in January. 

Another former blaugrana, Antoine Griezmann, has 12 goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season for Atlético and will be one of the main threats in attack for the visitors to Spotify Camp Nou along with Spanish international centre forward Álvaro Morata who also has 12 goals so far this season. 

Important day 

The 'diada de Sant Jordi' is always an important day culturally in Catalonia and to reflect that fact there will be an large mosaic in support of the Catalan language before kick off at Spotify Camp Nou. Furthermore, Barça will be wearing their fourth kit for the game, the strip that takes its inspiration from the colours of the Catalan flag, 'la senyera.' 

Team news 

Atlético are without former Barça man Memphis and Reinildo for the trip to Barça due to injury. The blaugranes, for their part, welcome back Pedri and Frenkie de Jong to the squad, with 15 year old Lamine Yamal making his first ever appearance in the first team squad. Xavi's team, however, will still be without the injured Christensen, Dembélé and Sergi Roberto. 

Xavi says 

This high quality clash comes at a key moment for the blaugranas. After two consecutive draws in the league, Xavi Hernández and the team want to improve their form, with coach stating, "It's the ideal moment to show who we are again. The game is an incentive, it's a challenge to react to and show we want to win the title".