Barcelona vs Atalanta predictions: Catalans may take their foot off the gas
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- Barcelona are guaranteed a place in the last 16 of the Champions League
- Atalanta sit seventh in the European standings
- Recommended bet: Atalanta draw no bet
A stunning comeback in Lisbon which saw Barcelona score three goals after the 77th minute means the Spanish giants have already qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League ahead of Wednesday’s visit of Atalanta.
While they would like to finish top, they would still require a slip-up from Liverpool to do so and a tight LaLiga title race will be far higher on Hansi Flick’s priority list.
That is good news for Atalanta, who sit seventh in the Champions League and know a win would guarantee their place in the last 16.
Team news
Inigo Martinez, Marc Bernal, Dani Olmo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen remain in the Barcelona treatment room, while Pedri, who missed Sunday’s 7-1 rout of Valencia through illness, is unlikely to feature.
Odilon Kossounou and Gianluca Scamacca are Atalanta’s two absentees.
The stats
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After losing their opening League Phase match 2-1 against Monaco, Barcelona have racked up six wins in a row, scoring 25 goals in the process.
Atalanta have lost just one of their seven Champions League fixtures, going down 3-2 to Real Madrid.
La Dea have won all three of their away games in Europe, scoring 11 goals in victories over Shakhtar Donetsk, Stuttgart and Young Boys.
Barcelona had lost three La Liga games at home in a row before compiling 5-1 and 7-1 wins over Real Betis and Valencia respectively.
Prediction
With Barcelona thrashing Valencia 7-1 on Sunday and sitting second in the league phase of the Champions League, it may seem a bold selection to back against the Spanish giants.
However, with a place in the last 16 already secured and the LaLiga title race hotting up, it would be no surprise to see Flick take a blasé approach to this clash with Atalanta, who will be fired up by knowing their passage to the latter stages is not secure.
Only a win would secure a last-16 spot for Gian Piero Gasperini’s men and they have shown on more than one occasion that they have enough to secure that.
Atalanta won the Europa League last term and that form has translated into this season’s Champions League, with the Italian side winning four of their seven matches and only losing to the defending champions, Real Madrid.
Barcelona can be vulnerable at home, losing three of their last five outings, and an Atalanta side who have won all three of their European away games should not be underestimated, especially as they have more riding on this game than their hosts.
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