FC Barcelona face a major obstacle on Tuesday night, when they try to overturn a UEFA Champions League tie in which they trail 0-2 to Atletico Madid. Atletico have become a familiar foe to be sure, as Barcelona will face them for the third time already this month. It will also be the fourth meeting since March 7. So Barca supporters have to be getting pretty sick of them right now. Hansi Flick will look to turn the tie around, despite a cadre of injury and fitness concerns, so let’s dive straight into them. Marc Bernal (ankle injury) and Gerard Martin (unspecified muscular discomfort of some sort) will need to pass late fitness tests, in order to make the matchday squad here.
Atletico Madrid vs FC Barcelona FYIs
Kickoff: Tuesday April 14, The Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain, 8pm
Competition: UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal, Leg 2/2
Aggregate: Atletico Madrid leads 2-0
Google Result Probability: Barca win 63% Draw 19% Atletico Madrid win 18%
Team News for Both Sides
There are no such question marks for Raphinha (hamstring) and Andreas Christensen (ACL), as they are most certainly ruled out here. Shifting gears to the Spanish team that currently leads this tie, No. 1 goalkeeper Jan Oblak should be back fit again here but Marc Pubill is now suspended.
Elsewhere Jose Gimenez (discomfort), Johnny Cardoso (adductor) and Pablo Barrios (thigh) are all doubts to feature in this one while David Hancko is ruled out of this match, due to an ankle injury.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.