Barcelona make their second visit to Madrid in a matter of weeks tonight, to face Atlético in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Los Rojiblancos. The tie is finely balanced at 1-1 after the draw at the Nou Camp last week, yet many Atléti fans will feel confident ahead of the visit of the Catalan side. The first leg saw Diego net a superb long-ranger for the visitors, before Neymar was able to equalise.

Both teams come into this game on the back of wins at the weekend. The Madrid side were able to beat Vilarreal at the Vicente Calderón thanks to an early Raúl Garcia goal. Barça beat Real Betis 3-1 in Catalonia thanks to an own goal, as well as a double from Lionel Messi. That sets the tone for this week’s decisive second leg, with both teams coming in in a positive fashion, determined to win.

Many in Madrid will feel positive ahead of the match tonight. This season has seen a decline under Tata Martino, whilst under Diego Simeone, Los Colchoneros have been much improved and are title favourites according to some. Atléti currently sit atop the La Liga table, a point clear of their opponents for tonight, and three ahead of their city rivals Real. This re-emergence has been partly down to the brilliance of Diego Costa, which has seen him attract the attentions of several top clubs around Europe, including Chelsea.

Barcelona have several injury concerns to contend with, what with five players definitely being out ahead of the game, three being big misses for the visitors. Victor Valdés (cruciate ligament) and Gerard Piqué (hip) are both out along with Carles Puyol (knee), whilst Jonathan Dos Santos (cruciate ligament) and Isaac Cuenca (hamstring) remain on the sidelines for the Catalans.

Atlético have far fewer concerns to worry themselves with. Whilst Arda Turan (groin) is sure to be missed from the side, the hosts have more than enough cover and should be able to cope with the Turkish international’s absence. Javi Manquillo (neck) is also out.

This game really could signal the tables being turned in Spain. Barcelona have been on top for the past few years under Pep Guardiola and then Tito Vilanova, but under the new man Martino they are starting to look weaker and more vunerable, whilst Real and Atlético are only getting better. A win tonight would put Diego Simeone’s side into the Champions League semi-finals and showcase just how far they have come. Could they be on their way to becoming Spain’s biggest force once again? A win tonight could assure us of that, but as we have seen in the previous round against Manchester City, Barcelona can still be ruthless when it is necessary. Everything adds up for tonight to be one of the most important encounters for years.

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About the author
Ben Warner
Manchester City writer for VAVEL and others; press man for Maine Road FC.