Barcelona shot-stopper’s concerning numbers against Atletico Madrid ahead of La Liga clash
· Yahoo Sports
While Barcelona’s overall record against Atletico Madrid in recent years remains decent, the Catalans have fallen short against Diego Simeone’s men in high-stakes games in recent times.
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Last season, in particular, Barcelona suffered against Los Rojiblancos in both the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey, with Atletico Madrid finding the right formula against their high line.
Their defence, in that sense, struggled against Atletico Madrid on more than one occasion, leading to a couple of ugly scorelines for Joan Garcia who was Barcelona’s guardian in goal.
A personal objective
Barcelona have painful memories against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
As reported by MARCA in a recent update, Atletico Madrid have managed to be Garcia’s biggest nightmare in recent times and their numbers against him speak volumes.
Diego Simeone’s side, in that sense, is the Spanish goalkeeper’s worst opponent as they have scored a staggering ten goals against him over the years.
Over his career so far, Garcoa has played against Atletico Madrid eight times – six times with Barcelona and twice with Espanyol. In that duration, he has conceded ten times – nine times with Barcelona and once for Espanyol.
The 4-0 defeat in the semifinal of the Copadel Rey last season was the single-biggest culprit behind the star’s poor numbers against Los Rojiblancos, and he will be determined to turn it around tonight.
Flick demands more
A big test for Joan Garcia. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
While Hansi Flick’s side have been soaring in attack with an obnoxious goalscoring rate, their defensive numbers have not been as promising as the manager would have hoped.
The Catalans have conceded twelve goals in eleven games so far in La Liga, and the coach is not satisfied with the team’s defensive numbers.
Going up against Atletico Madrid, who boast of La Liga’s best defensive record with just eight goals conceded so far, the Blaugrana will be up for a massive challenge but also a big chance to prove their defensive superiority.
All eyes, needless to say, will be on Joan Garcia to see if he can move past the ghosts of the past and put up a strong showing that helps the team to a commanding win. After all, it will be a high octane game with high stakes at the Metropolitano.