La Liga will host a huge match on Sunday as the top two sides clash when Atlético Madrid travel to the Nou Camp to take on the undefeated Barcelona.
In what promises to be a fantastic spectacle, both sides are likely to go all out for the win – as well as gaining three points if either side is to win they are likely to have one eye on distancing themselves from arch rivals (for both clubs) Real Madrid.
Atlético who are seen by many as La Liga’s over-achievers for the season find themselves sitting in 2nd spot and just 6 points behind league leaders Barcelona. They are also 5 points ahead of Real Madrid their city rivals despite losing to Real 2-0 just a fortnight ago. If Atlético are to stay above the current holders then they need to carry their home form in to their away games, having won all 8 of their first 8 matches and take all three points from Barcelona. A task much easier said than done as the Catalonian side remain unbeaten after fifteen games with only Real Madrid themselves being capable of taken points from the Nou Camp in a 2-2 draw earlier on in the season. Francesc Vilanova will take a giant leap to domestic success in his debut season on Sunday if his side can get a victory and extend the 6 point gap to 9 as bookmakers already have Barcelona as heavy favourites with odds as little as 1/10 prior to Sunday.
On the field there will also perhaps be a personal battle between Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Atlético Madrid striker Radamel Falcao with the two battling it out for the golden boot. The little Argentine is in poll position and sits firmly top of the leader board for goals scored with 23 in the league whilst Falcao is his nearest competition on 16 goals coming off the back end of breaking a record after scoring 5 goals midweek after Atlético hammered Deportivo La Coruna 6-0. Messi himself broke a record for goals this week, after he beat Gerd Muller’s record of 85 goals in a calendar season. Messi is currently on 88 goals after two consecutive braces and now has all eyes on him from football fans who are wondering just how many he can score as the year draws to an end.
