Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez is concerned that Atletico Madrid will know exactly how to stop the Catalans when they meet in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final
Xavi Hernandez
Madrid: Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez is concerned that Atletico Madrid will know exactly how to stop the Catalans when they meet in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
Xavi Hernandez
Both sides have already clashed three times this season, twice in the Spanish Supercup and once in La Liga with all three encounters ending in draws.
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Barca took the spoils in the Supercup on away goals, but it is Atletico who lead the way in La Liga, a point ahead of second placed Barca, with just seven games remaining.
And Xavi is well aware of how difficult a tie the four-time European champions face if they are to progress to a seventh consecutive Champions League semi-final.
"I don't like playing against Spanish teams in the Champions League, they know us very well. Atletico are a very uncomfortable opponent that defends and breaks on the counter-attack. The tie will be decided by fine details," he told the Barcelona website.
Few chances
"Atletico are solid and know how they want to play. There will be few chances at goal and the strategies will be important. It is 50-50." Barca have though hit top form themselves in recent weeks after a dip during February and March.
Gerardo Martino's men have won five consecutive games in all competitions and brought themselves right back into the La Liga title race by beating Real Madrid 4-3 in El Clasico last weekend.
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