Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Prediction & Betting Tips - LaLiga

Prediction published on 18/11/2020, 23:12  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 18/11/2020 at 23:13 in LaLiga Predictions

Atletico Madrid have started the season well, and could go top of the table with a win in their home match against Barcelona as La Liga goes into Round 10. Both Atletico and Barcelona have played seven games and Atleti have 17 points, placed third and three points behind leaders Real Sociedad who have played two more games. Barcelona, on the other hand, have 11 points and are placed eighth. Going to this clash, Atletico have four wins in their last five matches and remain the only unbeaten side in La Liga thus far. One thing they will want to address though is that they have managed just one clean sheet in the last four matches while they have conceded four goals in their last five matches. Despite the defensive concerns, Atletico have the best defence in the league so far, having conceded just two goals in the seven matches played. They have lost just once in the 10 matches they have played this season – a Champions League clash against Bayern Munich – and failed to score in three of their 10 opening matches of the season. However, they have scored two goals or more in six of their last 10 matches and have four straight wins in La Liga and five wins in the seven league games played. Just as they are good in defence, Atletico have been good in attack, a new trait they are bringing in this season, after scoring 17 goals in the seven league matches played. This places them as the second best scorers in the league, three goals behind Real Sociedad. A key man attributed to this is Luis Suarez, who joined from Barcelona and has already scored five goals. Suarez will however miss this game, as he tested positive for Covid-19 a few days ago. Joao Felix should be able to handle the task ahead though. The Portuguese forward has scored four in the last two matches and also scored during the international break thus carries great form here. Atletico will further be boosted by the fact they rarely drop points at home; in the last 15 matches at home across all competitions, they have no loss. The last time they lost at home, it was against Barcelona in December 2019.

Barcelona have had a tough season so far, and after losing to Real Madrid, they will be keen to avoid dropping points against another title challenger. They beat a 10-man Real Betis 5-2 in the last game and will be looking to establish a good run in the league, with that win being their first in five league games. Barca head to this game with three wins in the last five matches across all competitions. They have one clean sheet in eight matches and have lost twice in their last 10 games. Barcelona star Lionel Messi doesn’t seem to have settled well after the acrimonious end last season and the departures that rocked the club, as well as his own transfer saga. He scored twice in the Betis win and will hope to make the difference in this big game, having scored five times in the last six games against Atletico Madrid. At the back, Barcelona have been unconvincing; they have conceded in five straight league matches, shipping in eight goals. However, in attack they have been good, and failed to score in just one of the last seven league matches. Barca have lost twice already in the seven league matches played and are winless in their last two away league matches – one loss and one draw. They have scored in each of their last 11 matches against Atletico but are winless in the last two meetings. In the league so far, Barca have scored 15 goals, two less than Atletico, and they have conceded eight.