La Liga Santander

Club Atletico de Madrid vs FC Barcelona
Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid, Spain
Sunday, February 26th 10:15AM BEIN Sports

This week in the Lewnau Sports Bureau we will be focusing our attention on the mega matchup in Madrid this coming Sunday.  A fixture between La Liga giants in FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid!  In the days leading up to this match, high profile European league games will be played, as well as a domestic cup final on the same Sunday in the EFL Cup, but none of these tussles will equal the overall intensity and skill that’ll be on display in Spain’s Capitol.  In addition to the on pitch quality, this fixture is oozing with sub plots and questions waiting to be answered, particularly from the Barcelona camp.  Thus, I’ll provide you with a few small plates to wet the whistle in preparation for Sunday morning’s delight.  I’ll discuss the importance of this match as it pertains to the La Liga race and more, provide my keys to the game, and reveal my scoreline prediction.

La Liga Race

As we head into Matchday 24 this weekend, Atletico Madrid find themselves in fourth place behind the usuals in Real Madrid and Barcelona, but also surprisingly behind third place Sevilla.  In addition, Los Colchoneros are essentially eliminated from contention of winning the league as they’re seven points adrift from their crosstown rivals, and the Galaticos still have two matches in hand (one being played this upcoming Tuesday at Valencia).  Therefore, what’s left of importance regarding La Liga for Atletico is ensuring a Top 4 finish equalling another Champions League berth for next season.  And with a talented, gritty, Real Sociedad squad sitting just four points behind, Los Rojiblancos need to produce a result in this match to keep its distance from La Real.

As for La Blaugrana, their sitting in second place, two points ahead of Sevilla and one point behind its eternal rivals in Real Madrid, but as I’ve said, Los Blancos have two games in hand, which means that if Real win both fixtures, then that one point lead on Barca, then balloons to a whopping seven.  Thus, the pressure is on Barcelona to not only produce a result in an extremely tough away environment, but also get a win, a full three points to keep as close to Real as possible.  

In addition for La Azulgrana, this match is of even more importance as it’ll try to finally douse the flames from a week ago when it got utterly humiliated by Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 in what I’ve dubbed “The City of Love’s Valentine’s Day Massacre”.  Both I and pundits all around the world thought that for sure the following match against a soon to be relegated Leganes club would provide the perfect stage for a reeling Barca to bounce back and show to all its heart, and its quality from beginning to end.  Instead what we saw was another dismal performance from the majority out on the pitch, resulting in a last gasp penalty winning shot from the famed left boot of Lionel Messi.  the club performance was so underwhelming that even Messi himself refrained from celebrating his game winning goal, rather simply standing at the spot staring into the stands, likely wondering what ion earth s happening to my club?  Therefore, for Barcelona this match is more meaningful than simply trying to collect three points, it’s about finding its heart, its soul, its desire, its cohesion, its leadership, and its skill and channeling that into the Bareelonaesque performances that we’ve grown accustom to seeing game in game out, season in season out, decade in decade out.  And that resurgence, that resurrection needs to start NOW.  Will it?

Keys to the Match

I could easily, and often times I do, highlight the MSN in this section, and deservedly so.  Messi, Suarez, and Neymar are a prolific front three.  Producing goals at a rate unseen before.  Instead however, I’m picking out Barcelona’s midfield as the club’s key focus in this match.  For me, the most glaring weakness this season for La Blaugrana has been the porous play of its midfield three.  This is crazy to think, let alone say out loud as the squad features two of Spain’s starting three midfielders in its lineup in Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, but simply put, these men are looking slow and old this campaign.  Also, the play of Barca’s third midfielder, who for some reason isn’t Ivan Rakitc, but instead is Andre Gomes, has been ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS!  Gomes, who was brought in during the 2016 summer transfer window has performed at such a low level, that the Cules in the Camp Nou crowd were cheering boisterously as he was being subbed off against Leganes.  The 22 year old, doesn't seem to defend, despite his larger frame.  He doesn’t read passing lanes well, nor does he pass the ball with any high level of accuracy, and lastly he doesn’t finish effectively.  He does NOTHING!  Why Luis Enrique continues to throw Gomes out onto the pitch is mind boggling.  Needless to say, if Barcelona want to win this match, its midfield needs to play better, period.  Personally, I’d relegate Iniesta to the bench, having him come on with a half hour or so left in matches.  Also, I’d bench Gomes obviously.  In response, I’d have Ivan Rakitic starting, and either Arda Turan, Rafinha, or Denis Suarez fill the other opening.  In addition, once Mascherano gets healthy, I’d slot him into his natural position of defensive midfield, Busquets' role.  These changes I believe would be beneficial.  It’d provide the midfield with and injection of energy and pace, two things that the midfield so desperately needs.  Having said that, Barca’s club captain Andres Iniesta and assistant captain Sergio Busquets will most assuredly be starting come Sunday, and Gomes who knows.  But no matter who gets the nod in midfield, Barca needs to start bossing the middle of the park if it wants to turn this rocking season around.  

On the flip side, Diego Simeone knows the vulnerability that Barca currently possesses in midfield and at the back.  Thus, expect his squad to press early and often, trying to force Barcelona into mistakes in its own half, as a result creating quick counter attacks, much like what PSG did.  If successful, then The City of Love’s Valentine’s Day Massacre could strike again in Madrid.  With front line and midfield players such as Fernando Torres, Kevin Gameiro, Yannick Carasco, Saul Niguez, Koke, and Antoine Griezmann, Los Colchoneros undoubtedly have the skill, speed, and chip on its shoulders to pull off the lopsided result.

LSB Prediction

After reading the scathing remarks that I’ve made regarding Barcelona, and the rather assured comments in favor of Atletico Madrid, one would think that this match is a done deal, and that I foresee Los Rojiblancos steamrolling the Cules.  But as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friends!”  Even though I haven’t liked what I’ve seen from Barcelona recently, heck for most of this season really, I believe that the image of Messi not celebrating after icing the Leganes game, spoke volumes to the rest of the team.  The leadership from Messi, Iniesta, Busquets, and Pique will finally show on Sunday, with La Azulgrana playing inspired, aggressive, and tactically sound football.  The midfield, led by Iniesta and Busquets, will once again be winning 50/50 balls, tackling well, and successfully finding open alleys for the MSN to do damage, leaving Los Colchoneros crowd cringing.  3-1 FC Barcelona