Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will meet in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on Tuesday at 9pm GMT, but the match is the third encounter between the two teams in 10 days, with a spot in the semifinals at stake, according to Al Jazeera.

First Leg Result and Implications

In the first leg at Camp Nou, Atletico Madrid secured a 2-0 victory over Barcelona, with goals from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth. Barcelona were reduced to 10 men after Pau Cubarsi was sent off in the first half for bringing down Giuliano Simeone. This result has placed Atletico in a strong position to advance to the semifinals, as they now hold a 2-0 lead.

Recent La Liga Performances

Barcelona thrashed Espanyol 4-1 in their most recent La Liga match, with Ferran Torres scoring twice and Lamine Yamal providing both assists. Marcus Rashford added a fourth goal in the 90th minute, helping Barcelona move to 79 points with seven games remaining in the league.

Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, suffered a 2-1 defeat to Sevilla in their La Liga match. Coach Diego Simeone rotated heavily to keep his squad fresh for the Champions League tie. Atletico are currently fourth in the league standings with 57 points, four points behind Villarreal in third place.

Champions League Journey

Barcelona advanced to the quarterfinals with an 8-3 aggregate victory over Newcastle United. Their second-leg performance was dominant, as they thrashed the Premier League side 7-2 at Camp Nou, with five different players scoring.

Atletico Madrid reached the quarterfinals by overcoming Tottenham Hotspur in a tense 7-5 aggregate score. Despite a 3-2 loss in the second leg at Wembley, Atletico’s 5-2 first-leg victory at home gave them the edge. Julian Alvarez and David Hancko were serious in securing the tie.

Atletico and Barcelona have met twice in the Champions League knockout stages, both times in the quarterfinals. Atletico advanced in both 2014 and 2016, with the second leg taking place at their home ground on both occasions.

Diego Simeone stated, “We know the opponent we are going to face, and we are aware of how strong they are, but we are also aware of what our objective is – to advance.” Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s coach, said, “We have the quality. We have the players who can change this. But, of course, we have to fight. We have to focus on the magic.”

Historically, Barcelona and Atletico have faced each other 251 times, with Barcelona winning 115 games, Atletico 79, and 57 matches ending in draws. The last 10 encounters have been closely contested, with Atletico winning three of the last four meetings in the Champions League and La Liga.

For Atletico Madrid, Marc Pubill is suspended after accumulating three yellow cards, while Jose Gimenez, Pablo Barrios, and David Hancko are doubtful due to injuries. The predicted starting XI for Atletico includes Musso in goal, with Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, and Ruggeri forming the backline. Llorente, Koke, Simeone, Griezmann, and Lookman are expected in midfield, with Alvarez leading the attack.

Barcelona will be without defender Pau Cubarsi, who received a red card in the first leg. Ronald Araujo is expected to replace him in the backline. Marc Bernal, Raphinha, and Andreas Christensen are all out injured. The predicted starting XI for Barcelona features Joan Garcia in goal, with Kounde, Araujo, Martin, and Cancelo forming the defense. Eric Garcia and Pedri will be in midfield, supported by Yamal, Fermin, and Rashford, with Lewandowski leading the attack.