Barca - Atletico Madrid: The battle moves to the Champions League

The FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou receives Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Champions League , the first European assault between two very evenly matched teams have tied three games played this season and move to the ' Old Continent ' the struggle to stay in the Premier League , but probably all be decided on the ' final battle ' of Calderon.

With Atletico leader in the domestic competition , and the club to a point below , this pulse moves to the Champions League in which they have never met , in a back and forth battle that viewed the background this season among the Martino and Simeone long , equalizer, tense and can decide for details is expected .

This happened earlier in the season , when he foresaw what was going to happen in this final installment in the Supercopa of Spain . The title was won by the FC Barcelona but without being able to win at Atletico , nor the ' mattress ' were able to win the Blaugrana at the Vicente Calderon in the first round match in the league. Three games , three tables, but with the club as benefited and winner of the Super Cup twice the value of away goals .

In search of a goal away from home

Surely now Champions League dialing away still have more importance, the value of the stage. The club is advised , as stated by himself in the previous Martino , that Atletico will try to dial out to the Camp Nou from turning blank Madrid , but is not expected to open game of twists and turns, but one in which the Blaugrana imposed, on home soil , his style .

For the first game of this junction, Diego Pablo Simeone , you could lose striker Diego Costa , who on Monday withdrew early training of his team in the Camp Nou. "I appreciate the doctors - in - tonight and tomorrow . A player who retires ... I see it difficult for tomorrow ," the Argentine coach .

Furthermore, it will be without the suspended Raul Garcia, one of the key players in the scheme especially for its unexpected offensive power and importance in the set pieces , where do great harm to athletic club, which has not sanctioned . Instead could play Diego Ribas , Sosa or , in a more offensive bet, the Guaje Villa .

The search for the goal will be key , and that three games and played ' Catalans ' and ' mattress ' this season, six will play this season, and have been only two goals, the equalizer ( 1 - 1 ) in the first leg of the Supercopa at the Calderon. Villa was commissioned to mark them to your exequipo while Neymar achieved his first goal as Catalans and the lead actor in his first title.

Barca want to rediscover your style

The two Brazilian goals against Celtic confirm a progression , with superstition and the memory of that goal , may place him in the starting lineup of Martino , who may have Andres Iniesta in midfield at the expense of Cesc Fabregas who was a little off in the Catalan derby against Espanyol at Cornella-El Prat (0-1 ) in a game similar to what can be found the Blaugrana against Atletico script.

In the club want to shine their style of play , imposing it and have the ball , but must add it to a high level of intensity that matches the great athletic asset. It will not work if you do not play and play something of verticality , but the Blaugrana know they should monitor the cons of a very fast and lethal Atlético in this sense, as in the air.

There will also be several duels to watch closely. The bad news Low Valdes operated knee Monday and seven months out of the pitch , Pinto will make it a robe who Courtois in top form. The ' tufting ' , now, seems stronger than behind the Catalans , but the return of Iniesta gives 'a priori' Barça superiority in midfield . Top with luxury side , the spotlight will be focused on Leo Messi ( 8 goals in the Champions League ) and if you can finally play , Diego Costa ( 7).

Definitely have to Leo Messi in his best form this season is a security for the club, but the ' beast ' hispanobrasileña wants to recover against Barca . And is if Messi Atletico has among its favorite victims , and dreams remain a nightmare for Courtois and all the ' tufting ' family, Diego Costa will seek first mark as Atletico Barca , something he has resisted .

Therefore, his teammates look like a beacon in the attack is the Simeone to schedule or attend Villa, Diego, Arda and Koke , duper battery to try to score , win and go to sleep Calderon go to a semifinal of the Champions League . For Barca would be the seventh straight .