Barcelona vs Atalanta

Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys sets the stage for the first-ever Champions League showdown between Barcelona and Atalanta.

Barcelona performed a stunning comeback to beat Benfica 5-4 in the penultimate round and secure safe passage to the round of 16 with a game to spare. Hansi Flick’s side followed up on that impressive result with a 7-1 demolition of La Liga strugglers Valencia at the weekend, taking their goal tally for 2024/25 to an eye-catching 102 goals from 32 matches. Buoyed by a six-game winning streak in the Champions League, ‘Los Blaugranas’ have set Flick perfectly for extending his imperious home record at Europe’s top table (W10, L1). Flick’s 91% win ratio, accompanied by a jaw-dropping 3.1 goal-per-game average, is the best home record by a manager to oversee 10+ matches. With seven of Barca’s last eight Champions League outings featuring the opening goal inside 20 minutes, fans in attendance could be in for a fast start.

On the other hand, Atalanta overhauled a halftime deficit in a 3-1 Serie A win at Como, building on a 5-0 thrashing of Sturm Graz in the previous Champions League round. Another win would seal the visitors’ automatic last-16 qualification, and after winning three of their last four league-phase fixtures (L1), they won’t shy away from the challenge. Adding to this sentiment, Gian Pier Gasperini’s men have won all three Champions League games on the road this season via an aggregate score of 11-1, netting at least twice on each occasion. However, there’s no room for complacency, given ‘La Dea’ have suffered five defeats across their last six encounters against Spanish opposition (D1).