Barcelona host rivals Atletico Madrid in Catalonia on December 21 with the La Liga title race at its tightest point so far this season.
With Barcelona's domestic form starting to dip, they face the prospect of ending 2024 in second or third place, depending on the outcome of this showdown.
Barcelona are only ahead of second-place Atletico Madrid on goal difference at the top, with Real Madrid one point behind in third spot, as all three prepare for their final game of 2024.
Hansi Flick's team have won just one of their last six league matches with Diego Simeone's visitors winning an incredible 11 games in a row across all competitions.
LIVE BLOG: Follow along with minute-by-minute updates of Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid lineups, starting 11, team news
Barcelona will be without teenage superstar Lamine Yamal with an ankle injury keeping him sidelined until the start of 2025. Hansi Flick's side has failed to win any of the four league games already missed by the 17-year-old in 2024/25 with Fermin Lopez potentially replacing him in the starting XI.
Also missing is none other than the aforementioned head man himself, as Flick serves the second of a two-match suspention.
Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen all remain out injured as well with the Blaugrana looking thin, something fans have become accustomed to in recent years, although they do get Ansu Fati back on the bench today while Ronaldo Araujo is also amongst the substitutes while he works back from a long-term hamstring issue.
Barcelona starting lineup (4-3-3): Pena (GK) — Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde — Gavi, Casado, Pedri — Lopez, Lewandowski, Raphinha.
Injured: Bernal, Christensen, Ter Stegen, Lamine Yamal.
Suspended: Hansi Flick (yellow accumulation).
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Diego Simeone has not confirmed any fresh injury concerns in his camp and he could stick with an unchanged team from last weekend's 1-0 over Getafe. Only Angel Correa was expected to be absent thanks to a muscle injury, but even he is available off the bench.
Despite scoring a winner off the bench last time out, Alexander Sorloth could remain amongst the substitutes, with Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann in sparkling form up front.
Atletico Madrid starting lineup (4-4-2): Oblak (GK) — Llorente, Gimenez, Lenglet, Galan — Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Gallagher — Alvarez, Griezmann.
Injured: None
Suspended: None.
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this La Liga match across selected areas of the world's major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | ESPN Deportes | ESPN+, Fubo |
| Canada | — | TSN+ |
| UK | La Liga TV, Premier Sports 1, ITV4 | Premier Sports Player, ITVX |
| Australia | beIN SPORTS 2 | beIN Sports Connect |
| India | — | GXR World |
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