Barca and Atletico look to boost title chances amid Real Madrid blip

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring against Alaves on Saturday 

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are looking to put down a marker in their respective title aspirations as the sides meet at Camp Nou for a midweek blockbuster.

Barca sit precariously top of La Liga by a point from second-place Real Madrid after coming from behind to beat Alaves at the weekend for a fourth straight league win.

Fourth-placed Atletico, who won 2-0 at home to Real Oviedo at the weekend, trail Barcelona by three points.

Since losing 4-0 away at Arsenal in October, Atletico have now won seven games in a row in all competitions.

And as Real Madrid were held to a third consecutive La Liga draw in a 1-1 tie at lowly Girona on Sunday, Barcelona and Atletico will hope that they can take advantage of their rivals’ dip in form.

Despite the 3-1 win over Alaves, Barcelona’s boss Hansi Flick appeared close to tears after the game and was consoled by winger Raphinha.

Flick later said he was angered by some of the officiating, including the referee’s decision to red-card two of his staff members during the game.

“I lacked communication. I asked the fourth official what had happened, and he told me nothing,” Flick said after the game, saying this was an “endemic problem”.

“We don’t have the control we had at times last season,” he said. “We have to improve, and we can improve many things.”

Raphinha told reporters that “Flick believes that we are not playing at our best, and I agree”.

“Even so, the important thing today was getting the win. We know we are not at our best, but we are working, and I am sure we will get back to playing our best this season,” he added.

A key player in Barcelona’s domestic title double last season, Raphinha looked like his old incisive self against Alaves in his first start in two months since recovering from a hamstring injury.

He set up two early goals, twice racing in behind the defence on the left side of the area before squaring passes for Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo to score in the eighth and 26th minutes.

Olmo added a third goal in stoppage time when he worked a one-two passing combination with Yamal before firing home.

Sorloth celebrates scoring against Real Oviedo at the Metropolitano Stadium

Flick praised Raphinha for his effort in attack and defence, above all because his pressing was contagious among his teammates.

“Rafa is a player who is dynamic,” Flick said. “We missed him.”

Alexander Sorloth’s first-half brace earned Atletico Madrid a 2-0 win over Real Oviedo on Saturday, as Diego Simeone’s side are now unbeaten in 13 league matches after an opening-day defeat by Espanyol and trail leaders Barca by three points.

Sorloth opened the scoring from close range after 16 minutes and blasted home his second 10 minutes later, with both goals laid on by David Hancko.

After an inconsistent start to the campaign, Simeone’s side have found their groove.

“I think now we’re doing well, not just defensively but also offensively,” goalkeeper Jan Oblak told DAZN.

“The truth is, we’ve been playing well, but we have to keep it up because the past doesn’t matter. What matters is the future.”

Atletico have become the first team in La Liga history to score first in each of their opening 14 matches; however, coach Simeone said he cares about trophies rather than records.

The two clubs have faced each other 246 times, with Barca recording 112 wins to Atletico’s 77, while 57 of the games ended in a draw.

Barcelona have got much the better of recent La Liga encounters, with the hosts seeking to record a seventh victory in the last eight league matches.

But Atletico did win 2-1 at Barcelona in December 2024, with goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Sorloth.