Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona: Who will be the one to suffer the bitter consequences?

(Baonghean.vn)- Early tomorrow morning (01:45, April 14), Barcelona will have a reunion with home team Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. With their declining form, the Catalan warriors will have to overcome themselves if they do not want to continue to swallow the bitter pill to become the former champion at the pitfall-filled Vicente Calderon stadium...

Obviously, the dream and ambition of the giant Barca are completely justified when they own the trio "MNS" considered the best of all time. But Luis Enrique is not a god and the "atomic pincer MSN" is not a machine.

In the past month, Barca has only won one victory (against Atletico), and had two consecutive stumbles in just one week (against arch-rivals Real and Sociedad), making many people doubt a coup in La Liga when the gap between them and the two chasing teams is only 3 points and 4 points with the two Madrid teams. Confusion is surrounding the home team at Now Camp from the La Liga front and spreading to the Champions League in this trip with little good, much bad.

The “FIFA virus” is said to be the cause of the Catalan team’s dispirited and miserable image in the final stage. Barca’s defense is not really good, a weakness that has been pointed out for a long time, the fact that they have not kept a clean sheet in the last 5 matches with 7 goals conceded is the clearest proof. Therefore, Barca will only be able to focus on attack. However, in the attack, the “soul” of the team, Messi, is showing his “harmlessness” when he has not been able to score or assist in 4 consecutive matches. That is when the away team is easily trapped by the home team’s defensive and counter-attacking style of play.

Messi becomes "harmless"?

Meanwhile, the representative of the capital Madrid has just had a perfect start when winning 3-1 against Espanol last weekend. This victory has completely revived Atletico's hope of winning La Liga, which had once been extinguished. As known, they are now only 3 points behind Barca. In contrast to Barca's panic and exhaustion, Atletico is very excited, confident and strong.

Surely, coach Diego Simeone's team is not only thinking about the La Liga title but also hoping for a spectacular comeback in the Champions League. However, they are at a slight disadvantage when losing 1-2 in the first leg and missing striker Fernando Torres (red card). That requires the Madrid team to show double, triple in this return match. In tense matches like this, the bravery and tenacity of the red and white striped team will help them achieve their goal.

Having an away goal to capitalize on is also an advantage for Atletico. Therefore, if they win 1-0 at home, Atletico Madrid will advance. In La Liga this season, they have won 9 times with a 1-goal difference, including 7 matches ending with a score of 1-0. That is the reason why fans hope that the "fairy tale" of 2014 will be continued by the home team Vicente Calderon with a spectacular comeback in this return match.

Can Atletico overcome themselves to successfully reverse the situation?

Of course, Barca will not easily fall before Atletico, who have always been defeated in the last 3 confrontations. But if Messi and his teammates still play with a tired spirit, if the Champions League "curse" comes true with the rising strength of coach Diego Simeone's army. A bad ending will await Barca at the Vicente Calderon tonight. And Atletico also understands very well how strong their opponents are and knows that the door to the next round is only for "those" who are alert enough to overcome themselves. Let's wait and see!

Kim Thuy