Atalanta BC at Barcelona will kickoff the same time as every other UEFA Champions League game on Wednesday night; in what will be the final matchday of this stage. That’s because having everyone playing at the same time prohibits collusion or tanking or other malfeasant attempts at trying to rig the final outcome.
There will be no place for chicanery, tomfoolery or scamming the system here!
UEFA Champions League Matchday 8 of 8
FC Barcelona vs Atalanta BC
Kickoff: Wed. Jan. 29, 8pm, Olympic Stadium, Barcelona, Catalonia
UCL Standings, Form: FC Barcelona, 3rd, 18 pts, WWWWW Atalanta BC 7th, 14 pts, DWWLW
Team News vs Atalanta BC
Same as last time out, before the weekend drubbing of Valencia. No changes. So with no other matters to get to, let’s just get to the first team projection. Barca can clinch the top overall spot in the standings with a win and a Liverpool loss. Atalanta BC need a win to ensure they avoid the playoff in the next round.
So this will be a hotly contested battle and thus, Hansi Flick must field a strong side.
Starting XI Prediction vs Atalanta BC
Inaki Pena; Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Marc Casado, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Robert Lewandowski
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, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America 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, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.