Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid Is Battle of Wits at Camp Nou Copa Dey Re

Here we are again. The Camp Nou, with Barcelona hosting the Spanish champions Atletico Madrid. But this time it's different.

Less than a fortnight ago, the Blaugrana made a statement against the capital side, coming out swinging after a week dominated by talk of crisis.

Luis Enrique put one in the eye of all his detractors, with his side comprehensively taking apart the well-organised ranks of his Argentine opposite number.

The attacking trident of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez put Atletico to the sword, overrunning the Rojiblancos in a way that no other team has managed for quite some time.
But that Barcelona side, and that Barcelona performance, were fuelled by a desire to put a week of turbulence behind them. Accusations had been flung around and Enrique's team turned their settings to full speed ahead, to leave the mess behind them in a cloud of dust.


The Messi we saw that day played with a determination and steel that isn't always apparent in the way he conducts himself on the pitch. Neymar was brutalised, hacked, kicked and chopped several times by a multitude of industrial challenges from the likes of Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez.

A foul by the latter saw Neymar left with a bloodied ankle. But in line with the team's desire to put a few noses out of joint, he fought through the barrage of attacks and played a key role in the victory.
It left Barcelona in good stead, and from there, they went on to demolish Elche and then do a similar job against Deportivo de la Coruna at the Riazor.

And now it's time to face Atletico once more, except unlike the last clash, when the players' motivation had been provided by the events of the previous few days, it's up to Enrique to inspire, to provoke.

The Asturian coach must coax out a match-winning performance from his men, but the Spanish press has been awash with reports of infighting between Enrique and his players.

Simeone, meanwhile, retains absolute mastery over his squad. His team of talented-but-not-top-level players have been playing out of their skins for over a year.
After the defeat by Barcelona in La Liga, he regrouped, taking his team to the Santiago Bernabeu and earning a deserved 2-2 draw to send his team through to this round of the Copa del Rey, setting up the clash against Barcelona.

Simeone's men usually play their guts out anyway, but avenging their embarrassing defeat at the Camp Nou will provide a new font of courage to draw from.

Embarrassing not because of the scoreline, and certainly not because of the opposition, but because his side were reduced to taking potshots at their opponents, with wild challenges and snide fouls.
Atletico Madrid always come close to the line under Simeone and it's a perfectly reasonable tactic, suited to his squad. But usually the aggression is controlled, thoughtful. Against Barcelona, it boiled over and actually detracted from Atletico's game.

So expect a strong, uncompromising attitude to tackling again, but it's unlikely this game will be as bloodthirsty as the previous affair.

Simeone is more than a wise manager, he's closer to a genius. Enrique's credentials are far from proven. The Barcelona boss will have to work overtime to ensure his side can keep their edge against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.