La Liga looks far more competitive than it has in some time through the first third of the season. There are just four points separating the top six teams, and no team has won 60 percent of more of its domestic matches to this point. That will make Barcelona’s clash with Atletico Madrid even more meaningful. Barcelona is currently atop the table with a 7-3-2 record through 12 games, but Atletico are just a point behind with a 6-5-1 mark.
Don't miss the Spanish La Liga action from the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain at 2:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 24, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on beIN Sports.
Spanish La Liga Betting at BookMaker.eu
Barcelona +130
Atletico Madrid +215
Draw +224
Over/Under 2 and 2.5
Odds Analysis
It looked like Barcelona was becoming the Barca of old right after the last international break. The Blaugrana knocked off then league-leaders Sevilla 4-2, and they followed that up by hammering Real Madrid 5-1 in one of the most lopsided El Clasicos ever. However, they reverted back to the up and down Barca we saw earlier in the season and needed two goals in the final five minutes to beat Rayo Vallecano three weeks ago before suffering another stunning home loss to Real Betis prior to the break.
Atletico have continued to frustrate opponents with their suffocating defense, but the offense has had some issues finding the back of the net. They have scored just 16 goals in La Liga play this season, and that has hampered their efforts at picking up wins instead of draws. In their last match before the international break, Atletico played a thriller with Athletic Bilbao. Bilbao pulled ahead twice in the Metropolitano, but Atletico leveled each time and eventually broke through and got the win after a Diego Godin extra time goal.
Injury Report
Both sides will be without some key pieces ahead of this match. Barcelona will be without midfielders Ivan Rakitic, Sergi Samper, and Philippe Coutinho here. Rakitic has been suspended for yellow card accumulation, while Coutinho and Samper are both dealing with injuries. Defender Thomas Vermaelen is expected to miss the match with a thigh injury too.
Atletico won’t have either their pair of Argentine defenders available for this tilt. Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez are both dealing with hamstring injuries and both players seem set to miss the match. Additionally, defenders Stefan Savic and Lucas Hernandez are dealing with injuries and may not play, while midfielders Koke and Thomas Lemar may not be available either. Diego Costa looks set to go, and that will be a big boost.
Matchup to Watch
Barcelona have not been strong in defense this season. Injuries racked Barca’s back line early on in the campaign, and that led to the team allowing far more goals than usual, setting them back. Only Vermaelen is out for this tilt, but there are still some major issues about the defense heading into this clash.
Costa and Antoine Griezmann will be looking to have the same success against Barca that other teams had earlier in the year. The duo do not receive the help from midfielders that other forwards receive, but they are two of the most talented athletes in the league and complement each other well. Griezmann will especially be looking to prove Atletico are the better club here after choosing them over Barcelona in a surprise move earlier in the summer.
La Liga Prop Bet – Atletico Madrid Over 1.5 Goals +187
Due to the injuries in defense, I believe Atletico will divert from its usual defensive mindset here. Teams have been able to win high-scoring tilts with Barcelona this season, and Atletico have the talent to do the same. I think Griezmann and Costa will each net for the home side.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
This is going to be a thriller, especially if Atletico do indeed come out of their defensive shell. I like the value in them at this price.
Spanish La Liga Odds: Atletico Madrid 3, Barcelona 2
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