Atletico Madrid take on the visitors Barcelona in the second leg of UEFA Europa League quarterfinals. First leg result: 2-0. The match will be played on Tuesday, April 14th at Metropolitano Stadium (Madrid).
Atlético can now focus almost entirely on a single objective. “Los Colchoneros” have been consistently playing under the same manager for years, Diego Simeone. He has achieved a lot, but in recent seasons Atlético have struggled to compete over the long distance with the two main giants of La Liga. At the same time, their current form looks quite stable, especially in key matches, where the team knows how to get results even without dominating. Their defensive discipline and experience in high-pressure games make them a very uncomfortable opponent for any side. Moreover, in 2024 they were pushed down from third place by the upstarts Girona FC, and now the more experienced Villarreal CF are aiming for the same goal. However, on the domestic stage the priority is no longer La Liga — they are safe from dropping below 4th place — but rather the cup. Having knocked out the Catalans, they reached the final, where they only need to beat Real Sociedad. In the UEFA Champions League, the Spaniards won only half of their main round matches, but then in the playoffs they comfortably eliminated Club Brugge and Tottenham Hotspur thanks to big home wins. Of course, their current opponent is much stronger than the Belgians and is not in crisis, unlike the English side.
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Barcelona decided in 2024 to replace their legend Xavi Hernandez with Hansi Flick. Under him, they managed to win all domestic Spanish trophies, stumbling only in the Champions League against Inter Milan. Recently, however, their performances have been inconsistent, alternating strong wins with unexpected setbacks, which keeps the intrigue alive. At the same time, the team still shows strong attacking potential and remains one of the most productive sides in big matches. This season that success will not be repeated, largely because of their current opponent, to whom they lost in the cup semi-final — 0–4 and 3–0. Before that, though, they defeated Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid in the Super Cup — incidentally, the Madrid side will play their Champions League match tomorrow. In La Liga, they are in a tight race with “Los Blancos” and currently stay ahead, although at the end of winter their rival briefly climbed to 1st place before dropping points. In the Champions League, Lamine Yamal and company have not been particularly impressive, but they delivered results: despite two defeats, they finished the main round in 5th place with 16 points, and in March, after an away draw, they thrashed Newcastle United 7–2 at home. Then, at the same venue, already reduced to ten men, they lost 0–2 to the Madrid side.
Barcelona have won four of the last six encounters. A win for the Catalans is expected — it is reasonable to back it — but not their progression to the semi-finals.
Prediction for the match: Barcelona to win.
