Site icon Mad About EPL

3 Barcelona Players to Watch Out For vs Atletico Madrid – New Winter Signings Feature

Daiwik Tadikonda
barcelona

Barcelona will take on rivals Atletico Madrid in probably one of their most important matches of the season, if not the most important.

Real Madrid are running away with the title and do not look like slipping up any soon. Even if the Los Blancos slip up, they are being valiantly chased by Sevilla, who are currently 11 points clear of Barcelona.

The game against Atleti will be crucial for both sides as they look to seal their UEFA Champions League spot for the next term. Currently, only one point separates the two teams and a win for either side at Camp Nou will do loads of good for their UCL hopes for next season.

For the Los Cules, qualifying for the Champions League is even more important because they have been tipped to make some big-money signings next summer and a spot in the most marquee event of Europe is a prerequisite for the club to sign someone like Haaland.

Barcelona had a decent winter window, making some much-needed additions to their misfiring attack. The Blaugrana signed Ferran Torres, Adama Traore, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last month. Dani Alves was confirmed well before the winter window but played his first La Liga game post-January 1st.

Also read: Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid Preview – Team News, Predicted Lineups, Key Players

On Sunday, all eyes will be on Barcelona’s new signings, and if they get the ground running, in probably one of the biggest matches of the season for both sides. It is understood that Torres, Traore, and Dembele are likely to be the front three with Aubameyang likely to come on in the second half off the bench.

With that said, let us have a look at the 3 Barcelona players to watch out for on Sunday, when they host Atletico Madrid.

#3 Ferran Torres

The former Valencia and Manchester City attacker has almost wasted no time in opening his account with the Blaugrana. In the 3 games that the 21-year-old has played for Barca, he has managed to score and assist once.

Though his only goal came in a losing cause against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa Del Rey, his assist to Frenkie De Jong against Alaves was crucial in the former La Liga champions sealing a win away from home (1-0).

Torres likely to start as the striker…

Torres will be playing his first game at Camp Nou and will look to make it big. He is likely to start as a striker with Memphis out injured, and Aubameyang is likely to come on in the second half.

Goals will be hard to come by for Barcelona against a difficult defensive Atleti side, who will be looking to break against the play. Having said that, Torres’ finishing skills will be on show on Sunday and Barcelona will hope that he is the man to lead them to victory.

#2 Adama Traore

Barcelona’s winter signing, Adama Traore is back at his boyhood club and the Spaniard will look to make his new opportunity count. While he has been brought in to make good use of his 1v1 abilities on the right flank and his exceptional pace, it will be interesting to see how he finishes off his chances.

One of the main talking and critical points of Adama’s gameplay is his lack of end product, which is rather ordinary in comparison to his dribbling and chance creation. Xavi might hence play Adama as a right-wing-back, the position where he started off his career.

Representing Barca for the first time since 2014…

The 26-year-old has waited long enough for the opportunity to represent Barcelona again and if he wants to get on the end of a long stick, he will have to do exceptionally well if Barca are to trigger the optional buy-clause of €30 million at the end of the season.

It will be a difficult test for him against Atleti who press exceptionally well but play a low backline. How well he gets behind the opposition line could probably decide the course of the game.

Barcelona are likely to start Adama on Sunday and it will be interesting to see how he does.

#1 Ousmane Dembele

The Frenchman, despite his recent contract standoff with Barca, is expected to start. Xavi does not consider sending him to the stands, as the 41-year-old will look to take all the help he gets to secure a UEFA Champions League spot before the end of this season.

Dembele’s relationship with Barcelona is broken…

Dembele’s relationship with the Los Cules is practically broken at this stage and the player is expected to be greeted by a hostile Camp Nou crowd. The former Borussia Dortmund winger’s reluctance to sign a new contract is probably what held the Blaugrana from making a few other signings to strengthen their squad this winter.

While there is no going back in the past, Dembele certainly has a point to prove considering his extraordinary financial demands of €40 million net per season in addition to a €20 million signing-on bonus. The 24-year-old will be keen to show why he made such demands and stood by it, but he will have to do it with almost the whole of Camp Nou against him.

It is understood that the think tank at Camp Nou is concerned about the negative reaction that Dembele could potentially receive on Sunday.

Dembele is expected to play on the left flank and has no choice but to do well if he has any plans of ending his tenure with his current club on a good note. It will be an upward battle for the talented winger until the end of the season, starting with a must-win game against the defending La Liga champions.

Exit mobile version