Barcelona v Atletico Madrid: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Barcelona have been pacesetters in La Liga this season, but a slight dip in form from Hansi Flick's men coupled with the resurgence of Atletico Madrid has blown the title race wide open.

And on Saturday Barca and Atleti square up in Catalonia for their final match of the year with both sides level on 38 points, although Diego Simeone's side have a game in hand.

It is also a case of unstoppable force meets immovable object as Barca boast the division's hottest attack with 50 goals scored in 18 matches, while Atleti have the joint-best defence in La Liga, conceding only 11 times.

That makes for an intriguing affair on Saturday night and the encounter at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys is a fitting way to finish another year of La Liga football.

Barcelona v Atletico Madrid betting tips and predictions

Atletico Madrid draw no bet - 7/4

Barca have been the standout team in La Liga since the start of the season, but the formbook points to a win for the visitors.

Simeone's men go into Saturday's contest on a remarkable 11-game winning run in all competitions, recording big wins over Sparta Prague (6-0) and Real Valladolid (5-0) as part of that streak.

They have not faced the toughest of opponents during that run, but some of their wins have looked effortless and they are starting to show the attacking flair to match their defensive resilience.

The Blaugrana have won just one of their last six games in the Spanish top-flight, losing to Leganes, Las Palmas and Real Sociedad and drawing with Celta Vigo and Real Betis since the start of November.

The bottom line is teams across La Liga have worked out how to counter Barca's high-risk defensive line and, when the Catalan club fall behind, they have struggled for answers.

They are leaking too many goals - they have conceded at least two goals in three of their last four league fixtures - and Robert Lewandowski has not been shifting his weight up top recently.

Atleti are built for these kinds of matches and they will be high on confidence, so at 7/4, they are a cracking pick in the draw-no-bet market, in which stakes are returned if the match finishes as a draw.

Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals - 5/6

The Catalan giants have played some of the most attractive football in La Liga this season, but that has come at a cost, with stronger teams capitalising on their high line.

The result is high-scoring games and three of their last four matches in all competitions have produced over 3.5 goals.

Atletico, meanwhile, have not allowed defensive solidity to stop them from scoring goals - indeed they have netted 31 times in their 17 league fixtures this season, averaging nearly two goals per game.

With Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann leading their charge, they can contribute to a high-scoring match in Catalonia, where both teams to score and over 2.5 goals is another fine wager.

Antoine Griezmann to score or assist - 5/4

Punters looking for a player bet should consider Griezmann to score or assist at 5/4.

The Frenchman has really taken things up a notch this season, scoring seven times and laying on four assists in his 17 La Liga appearances this term.

Deployed as part of a front two with Alvarez, he can also combine with Alexander Sorloth in attack and has enough quality around him to set up chances as well as finish them.

Given Barca have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last five matches, there should be a decent chance of goals for Atleti and Griezmann is usually at the heart of anything good that they do.

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Barcelona v Atletico Madrid odds

Barcelona - 9/10
Draw - 14/5
Atletico Madrid - 29/10

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.