In the first leg of the quarterfinal, Atlético Madrid unexpectedly beat Barcelona 2-0 away. However, that game was marred by the first-half dismissal of visiting defender Pau Kubarsi, which forced Barcelona to play with ten men. Now, finding themselves playing catch-up, Atlético Madrid are unlikely to withstand the onslaught of the furious Catalan attack.
Analysis of recent encounters confirms the high probability of goals from both sides. Eight of the last 10 head-to-head matches between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona have seen over 2.5 goals scored. Furthermore, Barcelona scores an average of 2.73 goals per game in the Champions League and boasts one of the best attacks in the competition. Atlético Madrid have conceded in five of their last six home matches, and statistics show that both teams have scored in 100% of their Champions League home games.
Given that Barcelona needs to overcome a two-goal deficit, we can expect the visitors to play a very open and attacking game from the start. Atlético, who will likely rely on quick counterattacks thanks to Julián Álvarez (nine Champions League goals), also have an excellent chance to score.
