Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

• Under 3.5 goals

• Both teams to score

• Match to end in draw

Atletico are preparing to face Barcelona three times in their next four matches, with the pair also set to lock horns in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

They have already faced Barcelona three times this season, winning one and losing twice. Their only victory – a 4-0 win in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final – was enough to secure a place in the final, despite a 3-0 second leg loss.

Diego Simeone's side are also in the Copa del Rey final, facing Real Sociedad on April 18, so it is an incredibly important few weeks for the Red and Whites. However, they are not involved in a La Liga title race heading towards the final straight.

Hansi Flick's side are top of the La Liga table, four points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, although the gap could be cut to a single point before this match kicks off, with Real Madrid taking on Mallorca earlier in the day.

Barcelona have scored 78 times in La Liga this season, but all four of their league defeats in 2025-26 have come on their travels, and the visitors will certainly be wary of the threat a fired-up Atletico could provide this weekend.

Barcelona have won four of their last five matches against Atletico, though, including a 3-1 success when the two teams locked horns in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

The Catalan outfit are also unbeaten against the Red and Whites away from home in the league since October 2021, and they will bring an eight-game unbeaten run into this match, including a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in their last league game.

They are the most in-form team in the division, picking up 15 points from the last six games. That said, they have lost two of their last four away matches.

Atletico Madrid La Liga form: 🟥🟩🟩🟩🟩🟥

Atletico Madrid form (all competitions): 🟥🟩🟩🟩🟥🟥

Barcelona La Liga form: 🟥🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Barcelona form (all competitions): 🟩🟩🟧🟩🟩🟩

Marcos Llorente (suspended), Johnny Cardoso (suspended) and Pablo Barrios (thigh) will definitely miss out for Atletico this weekend, while Jan Oblak (hip), Marc Pubill (rib), Rodrigo Mendoza (ankle) and Alexander Sorloth (head) are all doubts for Atletico.

Midfield is an area of concern considering that Llorente, Cardoso and Barrios will all be missing, which could mean that Alex Baena features in a deeper role alongside Koke.

Simeone will certainly have one eye on next week's Champions League quarter-final first leg, but Julian Alvarez is expected to lead the line against the team that allegedly want to sign him this summer.

As for Barcelona, Raphinha suffered a hamstring injury while representing Brazil during the international break, and the attacker will not be back until the start of May.

Andreas Christensen is a long-term absentee due to a serious knee injury, while Frenkie de Jong remains out with a hamstring issue, but the Netherlands international could potentially feature in the Champions League clash between the two sides next week.

Eric Garcia is fit and should start in the middle of the defence, while Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde are back in training after recovering from hamstring injuries.

Marcus Rashford could be given the nod in a wide area for the visitors, while Joao Cancelo and Marc Bernal are also expected to be in the Barcelona starting XI.

Atletico Madrid: Musso; Molina, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Baena, Lookman; Alvarez, Griezmann

Barcelona: J Garcia; Araujo, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Cancelo; Bernal, Pedri; Yamal, F Lopez, Rashford; Lewandowski

Atletico have lost their last two games against Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid, and they have somewhat of a midfield crisis for this match.

However, they will know what damage a poor result on Saturday night could do leading into the first leg of their last-eight Champions League clash with Barcelona, and the capital outfit were excellent when they last hosted the Catalan side in February 2026.

Hence, we are expecting Simeone's side to be good enough for a point on Saturday night.

Correct score prediction: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Barcelona