Atletico Madrid are in the same ferocious form that helped them win La Liga in 2014 and they return to the scene of that famous triumph on Sunday, needing to win at unbeaten table toppers Barcelona to boost their hopes of another title triumph.
Diego Simeone’s side have overcome a difficult start to the campaign, which saw them eliminated from the Champions League, by winning eight games in a row in all competitions. NaijaBet.com
That’s the same points total at this stage of the season as when they rattled their far richer rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona to win the league four years ago, clinching the title with a 1-1 draw at the Nou Camp.
Atletico have not won away at Barca since 2006, however, and no team in La Liga or the Champions League has been able to beat Ernesto Valverde’s side this season. NaijaBet.com
Atletico currently trail Barca by four points in the standings, although the Catalans can restore their advantage to seven if they beat Las Palmas on Thursday.
The Catalans blitzed a usually solid Girona side 6-1 in their last Liga outing as record signing Philippe Coutinho finally showed he can dovetail with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.
That has set up a potentially thrilling duel between Barca and Atletico’s attacks on Sunday. NaijaBet.com
Messi and Suarez are the top two scorers in the league with 22 and 20 goals respectively but they have recently had competition from the free-scoring Antoine Griezmann and his new strike partner Diego Costa.
Costa may have only scored three league goals since returning to Atletico in January but it is the former Chelsea man’s persistent pressing and energy which has made him the perfect partner for Griezmann and helped his side to thrive.
“Griezmann has been at this level in previous seasons and now the whole team is helping him perform as he is now. Now we have to prepare in the best way possible to face Barcelona, who have won everything and still haven’t lost a game.” NaijaBet.com
