There is absolutely no questioning what La Liga’s stand-out fixture is this weekend: the mouth-watering, titanic tussle between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon leaps out as a high-stakes collision even at this early stage of the season.
After all, Pep Guardiola’s side were near-perfect in 2009/10, dropping only nfl jersey
15 points, but the only venue where they tasted domestic defeat was at the home of Quique Sanchez Flores’ ambitious Colchoneros.
Delve deeper, and you’ll discover that while over the past decade the likes of Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho have danced a merry jig in the white half of the capital, the Blaugrana have only triumphed once in the Primera Division since 2000 against the Rojiblancos on their own patch. That essentially makes this fixture a graveyard for Barcelona teams past and present, and is a statistic that adds extra spice to a fixture that has hardly needed an injection of incident in recent times.
High-Scoring History
As former coach of both clubs, Radomir Antic, said earlier this week, putting these foes together in the same stadium virtually guarantees an absorbing spectacle, and the proof is found in the drama; The first half of Atletico’s 2-1 triumph in February was among the finest football played anywhere in the division, from both teams, no less.
The year before, Barcelona had been 2-0 and 3-2 ahead, but the Diego Forlan – Sergio Aguero partnership truly came of age as both netted twice in a famous 4-3 win. In 2007/08, Atletico won again, this time in a six-goal thriller.
There are numerous reasons to suggest Sunday’s encounter is likely to be another action-packed, drama-laden affair, and this is re-affirmed by the recent history of their meetings. But what other aspects of these famous clubs advocate another goal glut come Sunday?
Of course, the offensive players either side are capable of fielding reads like a who’s who of Europe’s most coveted footballers. Arguably, Diego Forlan and David Villa are the two most gifted, natural strikers in world football, particularly after their scoring exploits at the World Cup for their respective nations.
hrow into the mix the Argentine phenomenons of Aguero and Messi, and the supporting cast of Jose Antonio Reyes, Simao, Andres Iniesta and Xavi, and fireworks appear to be the inevitable outcome.
Similar Philosophies
Whilst Flores has significantly strengthened his defence during the summer with the acquisitions of Chargers jersey
Diego Godin and Filipe Luis, a negative outlook has never been on his agenda, and the swaggering manner of their 4-0 win over Sporting Gijon on matchday one suggests that attack will remain Atletico Madrid’s best form of defence.
Barcelona, of course, have broken league records for their prolific exploits in front of goal, and Panathinaikos saw first hand in their Champions League meeting in midweek what they are capable of when in full flow. Their 4-3-3 formation combined with the mentality of Dani Alves and Maxwell at full-back means they are almost permanently on the front foot, and it is unlikely that either side will at any point choose to protect what they have.
The capital club have been conspicuous in their absence from a genuine championship challenge since their previous success in 1996, but after their defeat of Inter in the UEFA Super Cup, and a comprehensive one at that, the Spanish media have incessantly hypothesised as to whether this time they can justifiably be considered a threat to the supposedly superior Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Of course it is much too early to gauge whether La Liga can be deemed a legitimate ambition for Atleti, but if there is any occasion that might validate the theory, it would be to leave the champions reeling by consigning them to their second defeat in succession. The fans will be hugely motivated, and the players will feed from the electricity to create a special evening at the Vicente Calderon.
Barca Bite Back
Conversely, this match provides a chance for Guardiola’s side to quell the enthusiasm surrounding Atletico Madrid, by firmly putting their shock defeat last weekend behind them and reminding the Primera Division who remains the standard by which all others should be judged.
The Catalan giants have taken intense criticism for the lacklustre nature of their performance versus Hercules last Saturday, and calls of a crisis have been ludicrously voiced by some, after losing just a single match. Crisis is crazy, but if they fall a second time, cause for concern will definitely be legitimate. Bears jersey
Remember, only 15 points dropped in the entirety of last season – defeat number two would mean almost half that amount would have already slipped away after just three weekends.
Whatever the outcome, the statistics tell us to strap in our seatbelts and look forward to another incredible encounter - but this time the ramifications could have a greater impact on the outcome of the Primera Division campaign - yes, even as early as Jornada Three.
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