Cape Town - LaLiga Santander will mark their first round of weekend fixtures in 2023 with a showstopper clash between the two storied Spanish teams Atlético de Madrid and Barcelona on Sunday evening.
These two LaLiga giants have produced pulsating matches in recent years. Sunday's match at Atlético de Madrid's home Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano should be no different after the World Cup-enforced break. This time, however, there will be the bonus of seeing some World Cup stars in action, fresh from their Qatar experience.
Argentina's 2022 World Cup winners Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo de Paul and Ángel Correa will be wearing the red and white stripes of Atlético de Madrid. In the Barca line-up, there are Jules Koundé and Ousmane Dembelé, who finished runners-up with France.
Koundé and Dembelé will be going up against teammate, Atlético's Antoine Griezmann, who played a crucial part in France's run to a second successive World Cup final. Last season, Griezmann was on loan at Atlético de Madrid from FC Barcelona, but as of last October, the Frenchman has become a permanent member of Atlético's squad once more.
After his outstanding performance at the World Cup, he will have an important challenge this weekend as he goes up against his former teammates to try to prove that he will be one of the LaLiga Santander stars in 2023.
The match could be decided by the two great goalkeepers in this clash. Atlético's Slovenian Jan Oblak is one of the most regular winners of the Zamora Award for the best goalkeeper of each Spanish football season, having won the trophy five times.
In the opposite goal will be the German Marc-André ter Stegen, who will be defending FC Barcelona’s goalposts. He has become one of the main favourites to claim the Zamora Trophy this 2022/23 season. For the moment, he is clear at the top of those standings with only six goals conceded in 15 games played (for a coefficient of 0.40 per game), compared to 12 goals conceded in 15 games played (0.80) by Oblak.
🎥 #LaPreguntaMahou | @FutbolMahou
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) January 8, 2023
🎙 @AntoGriezmann analyze the #AtletiBarça:
❝We have to enjoy the match, it is going to be beautiful. Hopefully we can experience a special atmosphere of great nights and bring joy to our fans❞. pic.twitter.com/oC4n5kYLHM
Barcelona top the log with a better goal difference than arch-rivals Real Madrid and both are on 38 points. Before the break Barca have been in a rich vein of form and are undefeated in their last five games. Perennial contenders Atlético Madrid have two defeats in their last five matches.
The other feature of this match will be that fans can watch an interesting clash of styles, as this duel involves two very different coaches.
Diego Simeone will face Barca's Xavi Hernández and they have two very different ways of playing. The possession football of Barcelona will have a tough test against the more physical and intense style of play that has been used by Atlético de Madrid ever since their Argentine coach has been in their dugout.
@Herman_Gibbs