Hi community!
Of the last four league defeats suffered by Atlético in their fortress, three have been against the Catalan team.
For many years, the Santiago Bernabéu was Messi's playground. Nowadays, the Metropolitano, one of the toughest stadiums in Europe, has become Barça's playground. Of Atlético Madrid's last four home defeats in La Liga, three have come against the Blaugrana, the latest this Sunday featuring a spectacular final twenty minutes in which Hansi Flick's team scored four goals to overturn a 2-0 deficit.
https://www.atleticodemadrid.com/noticias/un-wanda-metropolitano-de-gala-recibe-al-lider
Diego Simeone's team hadn't lost a single La Liga match at the Metropolitano this season, and it looked like their streak would continue for another matchday. They were 2-0 up in the 72nd minute and the match was level at halftime, but Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres gave Barça the win. It was the Atletico's first home defeat in La Liga and their second of the season, following their Champions League defeat against Lille.
Last season, the red-and-white team only lost two league matches at home. One was against Osasuna (1-4) with nothing left to play for. The other was against Xavi's Barça, who stormed the Metropolitano stadium in an excellent collective performance. Joao Félix, on his return to his former home, Lewandowski, and Fermín scored. That day, the Blaugrana team ended Atlético de Madrid's run of 25 consecutive league matches without defeat at the Metropolitano, a run that lasted fourteen months.
Their previous executioner, also Xavi's Barça, had beaten Simeone's team at their stadium on January 8, 2023, thanks to a solitary goal from Ousmane Dembélé. A victory that was crucial in the Blaugrana winning the league title that season, a championship that was ultimately decided by Barça's victory in the Clásico at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Barça has three consecutive victories at one of Europe's toughest stadiums, where the "colchonero" fans always push hard, always well-led by Simeone. These precedents inspire optimism, considering that Flick's team will return to the Metropolitano on April 2nd for the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals. They will do so with a 4-4 draw from the first leg and a need to win to reach the final at La Cartuja, and with confidence from their recent performances at the "colchonero" stadium.
See You soon!