Barcelona host rivals Atletico Madrid in Catalonia on December 21 with the La Liga title race at its tightest point so far this season.
With Barcelona’s domestic form starting to dip, they face the prospect of ending 2024 in second or third place, depending on the outcome of this showdown.
Barcelona are only ahead of second-place Atletico Madrid on goal difference at the top, with Real Madrid one point behind in third spot, as all three prepare for their final game of 2024.
Hansi Flick’s team have won just one of their last six league matches with Diego Simeone’s visitors winning an incredible 11 games in a row across all competitions.
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid lineups, starting 11, team news
Barcelona will be without teenage superstar Lamine Yamal with an ankle injury keeping him sidelined until the start of 2025.
Flick’s charges have failed to win any of the four league games already missed by the 17-year-old in 2024/25 with Fermin Lopez potentially replacing him in the starting XI.
Andreas Christensen, Ansu Fati, Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen all remain out injured, but the key ongoing absence is Flick, who serves the second match of a two-game La Liga touchline ban.
Barcelona lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Pena (GK) — Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde — Olmo, Casado, Pedri — Lopez, Lewandowski, Raphinha
Injured: Bernal, Christensen, Ter Stegen, Fati, Lamine Yamal.Suspended: None (head coach Flick serves a touchline ban, however)
Simeone has not confirmed any fresh injury concerns in his camp and he could stick with an unchanged team from last weekend’s 1-0 over Getafe.
Alexander Sorloth could remain on the bench – despite scoring the winner in that game – with Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann in sparkling form.
Atl Madrid lineup (4-4-2, right to left): Oblak (GK) — Llorente, Gimenez, Lenglet, Galan — Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Lino — Alvarez, Griezmann.
Injured: NoneSuspended: Rosier
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this La Liga match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
