Opponent watch: Atletico Madrid will be without two key stars against Barcelona in La Liga | OneFootball

FC Barcelona’s next league meeting with Atletico Madrid is already shaping up with an important advantage for Hansi Flick’s side. Diego Simeone is set to be without two significant players for the game.

The two absentees are Marcos Llorente and Johnny Cardoso. Both picked up yellow cards in the Madrid derby last night and will now miss the upcoming clash, in the league, against the Catalan side. Without a doubt, this is a massive blow for Atletico.

That matters a lot from a Barcelona perspective. Llorente gives Atletico drive, running power and tactical flexibility on the right side, while Cardoso has become an important presence in midfield. Losing both for a match of this size is not a minor inconvenience for Simeone.

Atletico were beaten 3-2 by Real Madrid and they will be coming into a must-win game without two of their most important players. For Barca fans, the obvious reaction will be that this opens a door. Atletico are still one of the most awkward opponents in Spain under Simeone, but taking away two regular starters changes could give them an edge.

Barcelona will know better than to relax. Atletico have enough depth to stay dangerous, and their structure under Simeone rarely depends on just one or two names. Barca have seen too many difficult nights against them to believe the job becomes easy because of a couple of suspensions.

More than being worried about who is available and who isn’t, Barcelona should focus on their own performance and showcase their attacking impetus against Diego Simeone’s side.

What Barcelona need is a performance similar to the one they put up against Atletico at the Camp Nou earlier this month and not the one that preceded it at Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

It will also be the first of 3 games that the two sides will play against one another in 10 days and an early edge could go a long way in deciding which way the Champions League tie goes. Only time will tell how things play out.