Home / Football Previews, Line Ups and Stats / La Liga Previews and Team News Atletico Madrid v Barcelona: Line-ups, stats and preview In-depth preview as Atletico Madrid host Barcelona Written by Ben Miller Last Update: April 4, 2026 10:24:37 am BST 5 min read Atletico Madrid look to have little to play for in La Liga beyond finalising whether they finish third or fourth, but Diego Simeones side can play a potentially significant role in the title race and the set tone for a tantalising trilogy when they aim to beat Barcelona at home for the second time in 2026 on Saturday. The teams will meet again at Camp Nou in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, followed by a decider at the Metropolitano six days later (both 20:00 BST).They are extraordinary and have the ability to play in the opponents half, not letting you think, Simeone said of Barca, via AS.Football is first and foremost about the players, beyond the tactics and ideas of the coaches. They are the ones who ultimately decide these matches, with their experience and quality.Barca have played a certain way for the last two years since [Hansi Flick] arrived, with their high defensive line.That wont change because its their style of play and their positioning for winning duels and, by winning those duels, being able to attack.Flick acknowledged that Barca made so many mistakes in their 4-0 defeat at Atleti in the Copa del Rey on February 12, rendering a 3-0 return leg win insufficient for the Liga leaders.They have a fantastic team and one of the best coaches in the world, suggested Flick. I appreciate it a lot when I see them play.[Antoine] Griezmann is unbelievable. Its always like hes dancing and I like how he plays a lot. The atmosphere there is also fantastic.Barca started the weekend four points above second-placed Real Madrid, who visit relegation-threatened Mallorca on Saturday (15:15 BST).Table of Contents1 Atletico Madrid v Barcelona team news2 Atletico Madrid v Barcelona predicted line-ups3 Where to watch Atleti v Barca: TV channel, live online streams4 Atletico Madrid v Barcelona stats5 Atletico Madrid v Barcelona prediction6 What To Do If You Have A Gambling ProblemAtletico Madrid v Barcelona team newsDefenders Jules Kounde, Alejandro Balde and Eric Garcia are back in contention for Barca following muscle injuries.Raphinha has suffered a hamstring injury and Flick hinted that Marcus Rashford could replace the forward, adding that Gavi who he said is at a great level and Fermin Lopez are also options.The game will come too soon for midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who has been out since February with a hamstring issue but could return for the second leg in the Champions League.Goalkeeper Jan Oblak (muscle) and midfielder Rodri Mendoza (ankle) will return to Atleti training on Monday following injuries.Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen (hamstring), defenders Marc Pubill (rib) and Andreas Christensen (knee) and midfielders Pablo Barrios and Johnny Cardoso (both hamstring) are sidelined.Right-back or midfielder Marcos Llorente is suspended. Forward Alexander Sorloth is a doubt with a head injury sustained while playing for Norway that required stitches.Atletico Madrid v Barcelona predicted line-upsAtletico Madrid starting XI: Juan Musso; Nahuel Molina, Robin Le Normand, David Hancko, Matteo Ruggeri; Alex Baena, Jorge Koke; Giuliano Simeone, Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman; Julian Alvarez.Barcelona starting XI: Joan Garcia; Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Joao Cancelo; Marc Bernal, Pedri Gonzalez; Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Marcus Rashford; Robert LewandowskiWhere to watch Atleti v Barca: TV channel, live online streamsKick-off on Saturday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). In the UK, live coverage is on Disney Plus.Live streaming on a vast range of devices is available on the Disney Plus app. Subscriptions in the UK cost between �5.99 and �14.99 monthly or �99.90-�149.90 annually.Atletico Madrid v Barcelona statsAtleti have won their last six home matches in all competitions, with their most recent such victory beating Getafe 1-0 on March 14 the first game on that run in which they had failed to score at least threeSorloth has 10 league goals this season and the highest shot accuracy (53%) of any player to have scored at least 10 in the 2025/26 La Liga apart from Celta Vigos Borja Iglesias (54%)Before the latest round of games, Atleti had sent in 22 more attempts on target (161) than any team in this seasons top flight apart from Real Madrid (200) and Barca (208)Only Celta Vigo and Real Betis (both 1) have had fewer red cards in the current division than Atleti and Barca (both 2, alongside Valencia)That second-leg Copa del Rey defeat to Barca was the only game in Atletis last 10 in all competitions in which they failed to scoreBarcelona have won four of the five meetings between the teams since a 4-4 Copa del Rey draw at the Olimpic Lluis Companys in February 2025They had won their previous four trips to Atleti before that defeat in February, having lost the preceding twoBarca have won their last three league visits to Atleti, keeping clean sheets in the first two before winning 4-2 despite being 2-0 behind in the 71st minute last season, including added-time goals by Lamine Yamal and Ferran TorresOnly Madrids Kylian Mbappe (23) and Mallorcas Vedat Muriqi (18) have more goals in the 2025/26 Liga than Barcas Lamine Yamal (14)No-one can better Yamals total of nine assists. Teammates Fermin (8), Pedri (7), Rashford (6) and Dani Olmo (6) are also among the 10 players to have set up at least five goals, as is Atletis Giuliano Simeone (6)Atletico Madrid v Barcelona prediction Atletico Madrid 1 2 Barcelona Barcelonas greater incentive to win could result in revenge for that Copa del Rey defeat, while Atleti could be forgiven for subconsciously exerting themselves more in the Champions League tie between these teams. Bet Here What To Do If You Have A Gambling ProblemWe understand that gambling can be fun, but it is always important to gamble responsibly. If you are struggling with a gambling problem, please do not hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery. Below, we have listed some helpful resources to help aid you on the road to recovery.National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133GamCare: https://www.gamcare.org.ukGambleAware: www.gambleaware.com Topics: Atltico de Madrid FC Barcelona Hansi Flick LaLiga Lamine Yamal Follow us: Ben Miller Reporter Ben has more than 10 years' experience in sports journalism, covering two EURO tournaments, European club competitions, the Premier League, EFL and WSL and a variety of other major sporting events. Read more from Ben Miller
