MADRID, April 2 (Xinhua) -- La Liga leader FC Barcelona returns to Atletico Madrid's Metropolitano Stadium Saturday evening for a match that could prove decisive in this season's title race and begins a run of three games in 11 days between the two sides.
Just four days after Saturday's league game, the two teams will meet again next Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal, with the return leg at the Metropolitano on April 14.
Barcelona returns to La Liga action with a four-point lead over Real Madrid in the standings, although that could be cut to one point if Real Madrid wins away to struggling Mallorca on Saturday afternoon.
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have already met three times this season, and the results make it difficult to predict what will happen in the coming days.
Barcelona first beat Atletico 3-1 at Camp Nou at the start of December, but Atletico then produced a stunning display to exploit Barcelona's high defensive line in a 4-0 win in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal in February.
Barcelona then dominated a tense second leg and won 3-0 at Camp Nou, although that was not enough to deny Atletico Madrid a place in the Copa del Rey final.
Barcelona suffered a major setback during the international break when Raphinha picked up a hamstring injury that will keep him out for at least a month. His importance was underlined by the fact that he missed Barca's 4-0 defeat at the Metropolitano through injury, but started three weeks later in the 3-0 win.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick should have right back Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia available, but Alejandro Balde remains a doubt, while striker Robert Lewandowski may need a rest after his efforts with Poland during the international break.
Atletico Madrid also has players who made a big effort for their countries, with winger Ademola Lookman, who Barcelona struggled to contain in its last visit to the Metropolitano, playing two full games for Nigeria, while David Hancko did the same for Slovakia.
Others such as Jose Gimenez also played heavy minutes, while the Argentine trio of Julian Alvarez, Nahuel Molina and Nico Gonzalez all clocked up plenty of air miles during the fortnight.
Three games between the two teams in such a short span will almost certainly offer fans tactical adjustments, controversy and plenty of tension, and with so much at stake the series promises to be fascinating. ■
