Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid predictions, H2H and match preview for this Friday’s Women’s Champions League Quarter-Final in Bilbao. Read on for analysis and predicted line-ups as these sides finally return to action after nearly six months.
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid Preview
Almost ten months on from the last sixteen matches, the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League are finally taking place in the Basque Country this Friday and Saturday. The standout fixture, at least from a Spanish perspective, sees Atletico Madrid and Barcelona meet at San Mames in a one-off tie with the victors progressing into the last four.
It’s going to be a big ask for both these sides to jump straight into a game of this magnitude after such a long break without competitive football. Unlike the men’s competition, the Primera División Femenina did not return after Spain emerged from lockdown.
That means Barcelona haven’t played competitively since thrashing Madrid CFF 5-0 on March 1st. The Catalan giants were awarded the Spanish title and having dropped just 4 points all season, it seemed inevitable that they would have gone on to win it in any case. However their most recent game was a 6-1 friendly defeat against Montpellier, a slightly worrying result on the brink of their return to UCL action.
Atletico Madrid were Barca’s closest rivals in the 2019/20 Primera División Femenina season and finished in 2nd place losing just once, although they were a distant 9 points behind Barcelona when Spain went into lockdown.
Their preparations for this game have been thrown into chaos though after five players tested positive for COVID-19 despite showing no symptoms. Deyna, Meseguer, Charlyn, Leicy Santos and Laia Aleixandri are all isolating at home meaning they have just 14 first team players available for this game with 3 reserve team players joining a 17-woman party for the trip to Bilbao.
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid Predictions
Score Prediction: 3-1 Barcelona
Barcelona have been the class act in Spanish women’s football over the past year and look the more likely winners. The fact neither side have played competitively in close to six months will make it tough for both sets of teams in the latter stages of this match but Atleti will be hit the hardest with those five players missing meaning they don’t have much depth to bring off the bench.
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid H2H
- Last 4 League Meetings: 3 Barcelona Wins, 1 Draw.
- The sides last met in January, playing out a 0-0 draw in the league in Madrid.
- Barcelona were 6-1 victors when the sides met in Catalonia earlier in the campaign.
- Atleti were 2-0 winners against Barcelona in the Semi-Final of the 2019 Copa de la Reina.
