Wednesday La Liga preview – Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid

September 21, 2016 21:00pm – Camp Nou

Recent Form (LaLiga)

Barcelona: WLWW

Atletico Madrid: WWDD

Wednesday night’s football line-up features a mouth-watering clash between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou with both sides looking to chase down pace-setters Real Madrid.

A tense but exciting game can be expected, but will there be any betting opportunities for punters in this clash of the titans?

Barcelona started the season in predictable fashion, winning both of their opening games against Real Betis and Athletic Club. However, they then suffered a shock 1-2 defeat at home to league newcomers Deoprtivo Alaves to fall three points behind their arch rivals from the capital.

Luis Enrique’s men bounced back from that blip by hammering another newly promoted side, Leganes, 5-1 away from home in the following game week. While the Alaves result now seems like a freak result, it has left them in an awkward position heading into this match. If they lose against Atletico and Los Blancos win at home to Villarreal, Barca will head into the weekend six points adrift with just five games gone.

The good news for the home side is that the visitors have not won at the Camp Nou in more than 10 years, a run stretching back 15 games. In addition, the Blaugrana come into this game as the league’s top scorers with a total of 13 goals scored in the four games they have played so far.

Enrique has a full strength side to choose from which means that the trio of Messi, Suarez and Neymar should once again lead the line.

Atletico Madrid have yet to lose a league game this term but a brace of draws against newly promoted sides Alaves (1-1) and Leganes (0-0) in their opening two games has left them in fourth place in the table with a total of just eight points – four adrift of the leaders.

Diego Simeone’s men followed up those draws with two convincing wins, away to Celta de Vigo and at home to Sporting Gijon, in which they scored nine goals without reply. In total, Atleti have conceded just one goal since the start of the season.

Injuries to Tiago, Moyà and Alessio Cerci should not have too much impact on the visitor’s team selection with their strongest XI all available.

Prediction

The last two meetings between these two sides at the Camp Nou produced a total of 19 cards (three red and 16 yellows). With another heated encounter expected, the Total Cards market could be well worth exploring in this game.

Over 6.5 cards is available at 4/6 with most bookies.

Barca are unbeaten in the last 15 matches against their opponents on home soil, having won 11 (including the last four in a row) and drawn four.

In addition, both teams have scored in five of the last six editions of this fixture.

You can back the home win and both teams to score at 12/5 with Betfair.