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Hello and welcome to the live updates of tonight's La Liga clash between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou. The Spanish League title race is going down to the wire this season with just two points separating these two teams who will lock horns on Saturday. A victory here would put Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid five points clear of the Catalans with just three games to play but a win here for Ronald Koeman's Barca would take them to the top of the table. Expect this to be a humdinger of a contest.
9:40 PM: A draw is neither a perfect result for Barca not Atletico but it is Real Madrid who will fancy their chances of clinching the title now. But what a contest it was this evening between two top quality sides.
That brings us to an end to the live updates from this game. STAY TUNED with SportsTiger for the best sporting content. TAKE CARE and STAY SAFE!
GOALLESS END TO THIS BARCA-ATLETI CONTEST!
2 minutes of stoppage time
90' Messi's free-kick is almost perfect as he eyes for the top corner but it's just wide to the disappointment of Barca fans
85' MISSSSSSS Alba with the just the most perfect cross to find Dembele for the header but he is unable to keep it down and it goes over the goal. Barca's best chance to take the lead.
83' Yellow cards for Pique and Alba
80' Messi tries to find Dembele at the edge of the box with this free kick but is blocked by Joao Felix.
77' Barcelona have upped the ante in the last few minutes. They haven't created the big chance but have subsided the threat of the Atleti counter attack ! What a game
67' Simeone has brought in Joao Felix to replace Saul Niguez.
66' OBLAK WITH THE SAVE AGAIN! It's Messi who takes a direct free kick but yet again Oblak does a good job. Barca with a corner and Oblak is not going to get this easier chance get past him.
65' Koke gets a Yellow Card after bringing Messi down. Free kick but finds Oblak.
62' Ilaix Moriba's shot is blocked by Hermoso. Barcelona get a corner, cleared away by the tourists with ease.
60' First attack from Barcelona in this half. Dest it is with a low cross on the right but Oblak has a much easier job to do this time than save a work of genius in Messi and he makes no mistake.
58' Atleti dominating possession now, looking well in control of their passes. No real intent shown so far by Barca in the second half, Barca need to snatch a win here if they are to remain ahead in the title race.
50' Nice little volley from Suarez from outside the box but it's off target. Atleti start the second half from where they left in the first, looking the more confident side.
48' Carrasco's cross from corner but it goes over everyone, Suarez unable to reach it at the far post
8:50 PM: SECOND HALF KICK OFF!
8:41 PM: Although Atletico Madrid had more chances, Oblak produced an absolute world class save to prevent Messi from scoring.
0-0 at HALF-TIME! But Simeone seemingly the happier manager at the blow of the whistle with the kind of football they have played
4 minutes of injury time added in the first half
43' Pique to the rescue for Barcelona after Carrasco produced a great chance.
41' STUFF OF GENIUS FROM MESSI BUT NO GOAL! What an incredible run from Messi as he dribbles past dribbles past SIX Atleti players but couldn't get past Oblak who makes a GREAT SAVE!
37' Ter Stegen clears the ball yet again but Suarez dives asking for a penalty, not given. The two exchange a few words, not very pleasant, by the look of it.
33' TER STEGEN WITH THE SAVE! Marcos Llorente with a left foot shot but Ter Stegen makes a diving stop. Atleti are looking superb this evening but haven't been able to convert their chances as yet.
31' Busquets is down again and is replaced by Ilaix Moriba.
29' Llorente shoots from a distance but an easy take for Ter Stegen.
28'Griezmann takes the shot from outside the box after getting long pass but an easy save for Jan Oblak.
26' Sergio Busquets down with a head blow after clash with Savic. A few stoppages already in the game.
22' Atletico looking the better team so far, they have spot on and showed a bit of an urgency in their defence and at the same time looked threatening on the counter-attack. Barca haven't looked their best this evening. Can they find their missing mojo in the rest of the first half?
19' Barca has had most of the possession so far but it is Atleti which has produced the better chances.
18' MASSIVE CHANCE MISSED! Saul crosses from the left which finds Carrasco but Lenglet comes with the block.
13' Thomas Lemar has gone off with what seems to be hamstring injury. Early troubles for Atlet. He has been replaced by Saul Niguez.
12' First clear display of intent shown by Barcelona! Griezmann on the charge but Carrasco sends the ball for a corner.
9' Free kick could have proved to be a dangerous one for Atleti after Pique brough down Suarez but no damage done!
7' Barca survive the early intent shown by Atleti and have now begun to have more possession. The visitors are defending deep.
3' Atletico on the attack! Thomas Lemar running into the box and takes the shot but Ter Stegen is alert!
7:47 PM: Not the 4-4-2 formation expected at the start from Atleti. They have in fact started with a back five!
KICK OFF! And we are underway at Camp Nou! Barca wearing their fourth limited edition kit for the second and last time this season, Atletico in their home kit as well.
7:44 PM: The men who matter are out on the pitch!
7:41 PM: "The most important game of the season," we hear on air. DO YOU AGREE?!
7:40 PM: Less than 5 minutes to go for the Kick off!! Sit back and enjoy what promises to be a thriller
7:27 PM: Indeed, Antoine Griezmann is also up against his former team and he would be another key player to watch out for. With him finding form in the latter half of the season, there is every reason to believe that he could find his name in the scorer's list post the match this evening. He would also be more determined to find the back of the net now donning the Barca colours.
7:00 PM: Ronald Koeman has made just a solitary change to the team that beat Valencia last week, with Oscar Mingueza returning to the team in place of Ronald Araujo. Meanwhile, it's Sergino Dest who has got the nod at the right wingback.
Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, are seemingly sticking with a 4-4-2 formation for this game.
6:35 PM: The Line ups are out! Here we go:
5:40 PM: Kickoff in just over 2 hours from now. Can feel the adrenaline taking control!
5:00 PM: For Atletico Madrid, Luiz Suarez will be the man to watch out for along with Yannick Carrasco. While the 27-year-old midfielder has either scored or provided an assist in each of his last five domestic league matches, Suarez will return to Camp Nou for the first time since his departure from Barca last year. Although Suarez has enjoyed decent form with the Uruguayan netting 19 times in 28 games, he has not scored a goal in La Liga since March 21.
4:30 PM: There is little doubt though that the player to watch out for in this game would be Lionel Messi who has yet again led by example. The Argentine forward has already netted 28 goals and all eyes will be on him in what is being regarded as one the most crucial games for Barca this season.
4:00 PM: They even won the reverse fixture 1-0, courtesy a goal from Yannick Carrasco.
3:45 PM: Atletico will take heart from the fact that they are unbeaten in the last three games against FC Barcelona across all competitions- winning two of those. Meanwhile, they have also conceded the least number of goals this season (22) but will be face a side that has scored the most times (80).
3:33 PM: Here is what Koeman had to say to the reporters.
3:15 PM: Meanwhile, Diego Simeone is still searching for his first victory at the Camp Nou as a coach but said that he has no special plans for this fixture.
"We don't change a lot. We'll try and play using the good points of how we've been playing up to now," he said prior to the match.
3:00 PM: Make no mistake this has been a remarkable turn around of sorts for Barca this season as they were trailing Atletico by 13 points in January.
"I don't know if the result of this match will be decisive, but it will be important," Koeman has stated in the pre-match press conference.
2:42 PM: However, it is worth outlining that Ronald Koeman is set to be absent from the touchline for this crunch game. The Spanish Football Federation have rejected the club's appeal against a touchline ban which he was issued for saying "what a character" to the fourth official following a warning about his conduct. His assistant Alfred Schreuder is set to take charge of the team in his absence.
2:17 PM: Meanwhile, it will huge for Koeman if Barca win the La Liga as it would mean his side has completed a domestic double having already won the Copa del Rey. Will anyone then be able to justify the sacking of such a manager? If Barca take the title this season, Koeman might well be here to stay at Blaugrana.
2:00 PM: The popular sentiment remains that if the Catalans do win this contest, they will clinch La Liga but if somehow Atletico Madrid taste win at Camp Nau, it will be a huge psychological boost for them. With lots at stake in this clash, will this be a low scoring contest or will a team rise above the fear or failure to play an attacking brand of football?
1:33 PM: For those following the updates in India, note that there will be no live telecast of the game in the country but fans can catch the live stream of the match on the official Facebook page of La Liga. The game is scheduled to commence at 7:45 PM (IST).
Read More: When and Where to watch Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid in India? – Time, Live stream, Probable Playing XI
1:10 PM: The match will definitely be viewed as a battle of the two superstars Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi who formed a legendary partnership during their stint together at Barcelona. But Suarez now will don the Atletico Madrid colours as his side would aim to keep the six-time Ballon d'Or winner quiet and stamp their way closer to the La Liga title.
12:35 PM: Team News from both the camps: Barca did not pick up any fresh injury problems in their win over Valencia which suggest that Ansu Fati, Martin Braithwaite and Philippe Coutinho are expected to be the only players unavailable for selection. For Atletico Madrid, Renan Lodi is ruled out while Jose Gimenez remains a doubtful selection for this match.
12:20 PM: The two teams will square off at the Camp Nou on Saturday with Real Madrid, who are level on points with Barcelona also having a close look at this match. As far as the head to head records are concerned, Barca hold a massive advantage over Atletico Madrid as they have won 27 of their 53 meetings with the Madrid side only clinching 12 wins.
