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Atletico Madrid logo
La Liga | Gameweek 8
Oct 2, 2021 at 8pm UK
Vicente Calderon Stadium
Barcelona logo

Atletico
2 - 0
Barcelona

Lemar (23'), Suarez (44')
De Paul (45+1'), Koke (78')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Gavi (20')

How Barcelona could line up against Atletico Madrid

How Barcelona could line up against Atletico Madrid
© Reuters
Sports Mole looks at how Barcelona could line up in Saturday's La Liga clash with Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman will again be missing some key players for Saturday night's La Liga contest with Atletico Madrid at Wanda Metropolitano.

Ousmane Dembele, Sergio Aguero, Pedri and Martin Braithwaite will definitely miss the match, while Alejandro Balde is unavailable due to an ongoing back problem, but Jordi Alba has returned to the squad.

There will be changes from the side that lost 3-0 to Benfica in the Champions League, and it would not be a surprise to see the Catalan outfit revert to a four-man defence, potentially matching up to Atletico.

Gerard Pique was substituted in the first half of the game against Benfica, but it was a tactical decision rather than an enforced alteration, and the Spaniard should be in the XI for this game.

Sergino Dest and fit-again Alba are likely to operate in the full-back areas, while a strong midfield could include Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto, with Pedri absent due to a thigh issue.

It will be fascinating to see what Koeman has in mind for the attacking positions; Memphis Depay is a certain starter, but the other two positions are open.

Ansu Fati is not expected to be considered for a start, having only just returned from a long-term knee problem, so there could be an opportunity in the final third of the field for Philippe Coutinho.

Koeman has also favoured playing with a centre-forward this season, and it would therefore not be a surprise to see Luuk de Jong again feature at the tip of the attack.

Barcelona possible starting lineup: Ter Stegen; Dest, Pique, Araujo, Alba; F de Jong, Busquets, Roberto; Memphis, L de Jong, Coutinho

> Click here to see how Atletico could line up for this clash

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Draw
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Barcelona
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Barcelona attacker Pedri pictured in February 2021
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid32256170224881
2Barcelona32217464372770
3GironaGirona32215667402768
4Atletico MadridAtletico32194959382161
5Athletic Bilbao321610652302258
6Real Sociedad321312746341251
7Real BetisBetis32121284038248
8Valencia32138113534147
9Villarreal32119125155-442
10Getafe32913103844-640
11Osasuna32116153746-939
12Sevilla32910134145-437
13Las PalmasLas Palmas32107153039-937
14AlavesAlaves3298152838-1035
15Rayo Vallecano32713122739-1234
16Celta Vigo32710153747-1031
17Mallorca32613132638-1231
18CadizCadiz32413152245-2325
19Granada3239203361-2818
20Almeria32111203164-3314


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