Three talking points ahead of Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona | UEFA Champions League

Three talking points ahead of Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona | UEFA Champions League

The fairytale script did not have Barcelona chasing a deficit away from home in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, but it just so happens that they face that situation tomorrow night.

Atletico Madrid were not the better side over 90 minutes in the first leg at the Spotify Camp Nou last week, but a numerical advantage after Pau Cubarsi’s red card helped them take a 2-0 lead into the reverse fixture.

Barcelona now need a turnaround with at least three goals scored and a clean sheet in the best-case scenario, both of which will not be easy against the team that already eliminated them in the Copa del Rey.

Yet, there is a sense of belief in the dressing room and the fanbase. Regardless of the result tomorrow night, the game will be a spectacle to behold.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona.

Far from done

Heading into the Riyadh Air Metropolitano trailing by two goals appears daunting enough, but it is clear that the game is far from over.

After all, Barcelona have beaten Los Rojiblancos three times this season and have been the superior side for the larger part of the time they have shared the field with them.

A two-goal lead is indeed significant, but it is far from being enough to write a game off, more so one against a team with the attacking resources that Barcelona possess.

How Atletico Madrid approach the game will decide a large part of the result and the flow of proceedings on the night, and Diego Simeone has already hinted that he has a clear plan in place.

If Atletico Madrid enter the game looking to defend their lead, Barcelona will go on an all-out attack and swarm the box with attackers, leaving it only a matter of time before a goal is scored.

On the contrary, if Atletico Madrid press high, Barcelona will have to be wary of conceding a third but will also have spaces to run into behind the defence and capitalise on. In either scenario, the game is not over.

Belief is all the dressing room needs, and if they put up a performance even close to what they did in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal, they should be able to make it into the final four.

A need to be clinical

Will Ferran Torres start in attack? (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Creating goal-scoring opportunities has never been Barcelona’s limitation, more so under Hansi Flick. What has held them back this season, however, is a lack of efficiency in front of goal.

The stark difference between the first and second leg against Newcastle in the UEFA Champions League, in itself, speaks volumes about Barcelona’s attacking prowess and what efficiency can transform them into.

What Flick’s men require tomorrow, in much abundance, is confidence and efficiency in front of goal, for the chances will arrive regardless. Making the most of them will define the comeback.

The manager has some major decisions to make on that front, especially in a selection sense in the forward line.

For starters, the decision between Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski will be critical as it will define the target man and the player’s style.

Similarly, whether or not Marcus Rashford starts on the left or Flick prefers Joao Cancelo or an added midfielder will also dictate the goalscoring dynamics, buildup pattern and even the control of the game.

Finally, there is a question on whether Fermin Lopez or Dani Olmo should start, and while the latter may seem the obvious choice given his comfort in between tight lines, the latter’s ability to score goals from distance may prove handy in a cagey game.

Who will partner with Pedri?

Barcelona’s midfield has been cursed with poor timing injury setbacks at a crucial point in the season.

Just when Pedri was recovering from his setback, Frenkie de Jong was ruled out with an injury, and when the Dutchman approached close to his return, Marc Bernal suffered a blow.

Heading into tomorrow’s game, Barcelona’s only assured starter in the double pivot is Pedri, who has been carrying fatigue for a while now but has no option but to play once more.

Who partners with him on the night, needless to say, will go a long way in deciding how the team shape up in possession and in the buildup phase.

De Jong is the ideal option to start, and he did make a short cameo off the bench against Espanyol. The question, however, is whether he is ready for a start at such high intensity already.

Bernal’s situation is even less optimistic, and it is unlikely that the player can feature without injections – a step Flick is highly unlikely to opt for.

The manager’s other big option is Gavi, who has made a speedy return to dynamics and even started against Espanyol. While he has looked fine and fit, starting him in a game with such high intensity may play on Flick’s mind as a hurdle.

The final option for the coach is to keep Eric Garcia in the pivot and start Ronald Araujo alongside Gerard Martin – again a gamble he might be reluctant to take.

Who starts in midfield, thus, is a big question that Flick does not have long to answer. His choice, needless to say, will decide how dominant and high-pressure the Catalans can be on the night.