The top two in the La Liga table will lock horns for an intriguing battle on Saturday night, with Barcelona welcoming Atletico Madrid to Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Barcelona will enter the contest off the back of a shock 1-0 home defeat to Leganes, and Hansi Flick's side have only been victorious in one of their last six matches in Spain's top flight.
The Catalan giants remain at the top of the division, but they are level on points with second-placed Atletico, who also have a game in hand, and Diego Simeone's side will enter this match in excellent form.
Atletico have been victorious in each of their last 11 matches in all competitions, and a victory on Saturday evening would ensure that they end 2024 at the top of the table.
Here, Sports Mole looks at the head-to-head record and past meetings between the two sides ahead of what is shaping up to be a fascinating clash in Spain's top flight.
© Imago
Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 242
Atletico wins: 76
Draws: 56
Barcelona wins: 110
Barcelona lead the overall head-to-head record between the two sides, having recorded 110 wins to Atletico's 76, while there have also been 56 draws in this particular fixture.
The Catalan outfit have also comfortably outscored their opponents, finding the back of the net on 455 occasions in their 242 matches against Atletico, while the capital outfit have managed 348.
Lionel Messi is comfortably the leading goalscorer in this fixture, finding the back of the net on 32 occasions against Atletico, which is 16 ahead of Cesar Rodriguez in second position.
Unsurprisingly, Barcelona also lead the head-to-head record in La Liga, winning 80 of their 174 matches to Atletico's 52, while there have also been 42 draws in Spain's top flight.
Each of the last nine meetings between these two sides have come in La Liga, and Barcelona are on a five-game winning run against Atletico at that level, including 1-0 and 3-0 successes during the 2023-24 campaign.
Barcelona were 1-0 winners over Atletico at Wanda Metropolitano during the 2022-23 season, meanwhile, and they are unbeaten against the Red and Whites since October 2021.
Atletico went five games unbeaten against the Catalan side between January 2020 and October 2021, though, winning three times during that run, including twice in the league.
Barcelona have not actually conceded in their last four matches against Atletico, winning three of those fixtures 1-0.
Atletico's last two wins over Barcelona have come on home soil, and they have incredibly not beaten the Catalan outfit away from home in Spain's top flight since February 2006, which is an indication of the size of their task this weekend.
Last 20 meetings
Apr 17, 2024: Atletico 0-3 Barcelona (La Liga)
Dec 03, 2023: Barcelona 1-0 Atletico (La Liga)
Apr 23, 2023: Barcelona 1-0 Atletico (La Liga)
Jan 08, 2023: Atletico 0-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Feb 06, 2022: Barcelona 4-2 Atletico (La Liga)
Oct 02, 2021: Atletico 2-0 Barcelona (La Liga)
May 08, 2021: Barcelona 0-0 Atletico (La Liga)
Nov 21, 2020: Atletico 1-0 Barcelona (La Liga)
Jun 30, 2020: Barcelona 2-2 Atletico (La Liga)
Jan 09, 2020: Barcelona 2-3 Atletico (Spanish Super Cup Semi-Finals)
Dec 01, 2019: Atletico 0-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Apr 06, 2019: Barcelona 2-0 Atletico (La Liga)
Nov 24, 2018: Atletico 1-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Mar 04, 2018: Barcelona 1-0 Atletico (La Liga)
Oct 14, 2017: Atletico 1-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Feb 26, 2017: Atletico 1-2 Barcelona (La Liga)
Feb 07, 2017: Barcelona 1-1 Atletico (Copa del Rey Semi-Finals)
Feb 01, 2017: Atletico 1-2 Barcelona (Copa del Rey Semi-Finals)
Sep 21, 2016: Barcelona 1-1 Atletico (La Liga)
Apr 13, 2016: Atletico 2-0 Barcelona (Champions League Quarter-Finals)
Last 10 La Liga meetings
Apr 17, 2024: Atletico 0-3 Barcelona (La Liga)
Dec 03, 2023: Barcelona 1-0 Atletico (La Liga)
Apr 23, 2023: Barcelona 1-0 Atletico (La Liga)
Jan 08, 2023: Atletico 0-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Feb 06, 2022: Barcelona 4-2 Atletico (La Liga)
Oct 02, 2021: Atletico 2-0 Barcelona (La Liga)
May 08, 2021: Barcelona 0-0 Atletico (La Liga)
Nov 21, 2020: Atletico 1-0 Barcelona (La Liga)
Jun 30, 2020: Barcelona 2-2 Atletico (La Liga)
Dec 01, 2019: Atletico 0-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Matt Law
