21
16:37
Tooor for FC Barcelona, 2:1 by Gavi
20
16:36
João Félix inimitably takes the ball on the left corner of the penalty area with his right outside instep. Then he takes a few steps and flicks to the long corner. The ball just misses.
16
16:33
Adama Traoré is closely guarded by Mario Hermoso when in possession. That’s why the muscle man uses his body powerfully. He hits his opponent in the face with his hand. There is only a free kick. Even if Mario Hermoso would of course have liked to see more.
13
4:30 p.m
The game starts happily. Atlético’s lead came with the first serious attack. But Barça didn’t care. The hosts hit back straight away. Now Xavi’s team is putting more pressure on.
10
16:27
Tooor for FC Barcelona, 1:1 by Jordi Alba
What a goal by Jordi Alba! The full-back makes the goal of the year. Dani Alves brings a wide cross into the back of the penalty area from the right. Jordi Alba is completely blank there. The Spaniard takes the ball volley. The shot sails through the sixteen and lands in the long angle. It was technically extremely demanding and beautiful.
8th
16:24
Tooor for Atlético Madrid, 0:1 by Yannick Carrasco
And suddenly Atlético leads. Koke plays a great through ball from the center to the right wing in Suárez’s run. The former Barça player puts the ball in the middle with ease. Carrasco only has to hold out his right foot at the penalty spot. The ball hits the far corner. Ter Stegen has no chance.
7
16:23
It is very noticeable that Dani Alves becomes the playmaking six in possession while Frenkie de Jong seems to enjoy all the freedom.
5
16:22
Ferrán Torres has the first chance of the game. Pedri picks up the pace on the inside right, then passes to Ferrán Torres in the box. The Spaniard turns up and shoots low on goal. His shot just misses to the right.
4
16:20
Barcelona starts much more actively. But that’s no wonder when the opponent is called Atlético Madrid.
2
16:19
In the first moments of this game you can see that Atlético acts in a 4-5-1 against the ball. Barça mostly builds the game with a back three, into which de Jong drops. Full-back Dani Alves then moves into midfield.
15:30
Diego Simeone sees less reason to change after the lucky 3-2 victory over Valencia. Only Renan Lodi is pushed onto the bench by Stefan Savić. But Savić will start in central defence. Mario Hermoso will probably go to Renan Lodi’s left-back position.
15:28
Xavi makes three substitutions at Barça in contrast to the 1-0 win over Alavés two weeks ago. Dani Alves will start at right back in place of Sergiño Dest. The second winter signing, Adama Traoré, replaces Luuk de Jong in the attacking three-man line. Gavi will also replace Abde Ezzalzouli in attack.
15:25
Atlético are just one point ahead of Barcelona in the table. Fourth place is definitely not enough for last year’s champion. Before the turn of the year, Diego Simeone’s team lost three games in a row. That crisis was averted with seven points from three games in 2022, but a win against the troubled Barcelona giants is needed to avoid slipping out of Champions League spots.
15:22
Barça recently had a new hope: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabonese made a last-minute move from Arsenal to Catalonia on a free transfer. He has 92 goals and 21 assists in 163 games for the Gunners. And if there’s one thing Barcelona are lacking this season, it’s a goalscorer. Memmphis Depay has the most goals in all competitions, eight in 23 games. That’s not enough for a top club. Xavi’s team has only the seventh best offense in the league. Aubameyang is initially on the bench today.
15:16
Hello and welcome to La Liga matchday 23. Today at 4:15 p.m. there is a top game between FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.