Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are both favourites to progress in their Champions League Round of 16 ties, and if they do so, will be on course for a fifth and sixth meeting of the season. Their managers will have one eye on the risk of suspension for their players for the first leg of a potential quarter-finals.
Los Colchoneros hold a three-goal advantage over Tottenham Hotspur after a 5-2 win in the first leg, and are expected to go through comfortably in London. Meanwhile Barcelona must win against Newcastle United, having been outplayed in a 1-1 draw at St. James’ Park last week, but they are favourites to do so at Camp Nou.
Flick: “We’ve analyzed the first leg match and the things we can improve. If they mark us man-to-man, we have to be capable of finding the spaces.”
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) March 17, 2026
Six Atletico Madrid players at risk of missing quarter-final
As highlighted by MD, there are six Atletico players who are one yellow card away from a third, and consequently, a suspension. Giuliano Simeone, Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Clement Lenglet, Robin Le Normand, Thiago Almada and Pablo Barrios are all at risk as they face Spurs. Diego Simeone is unlikely to start Lenglet or Almada, while Pablo Barrios is out injured until after the international break. However Giuliano, Llorente and Pubill are all key starters. Diego Simeone may be tempted to rest or certainly withdraw them earlier in the second leg as a result.
Lamine Yamal walking the tightrope for Barcelona
On the other hand, Barcelona have four players at risk of suspension. The headline would be if Lamine Yamal were to be suspended for the first leg, as he walks the tightrope at Camp Nou. Fermin Lopez and Gerard Martin are also starters that would be missed if they were booked a third time, and Marc Casado would hurt Hansi Flick’s ailing midfield depth.
Potential for three games out of four
Atletico and Barcelona face off after the international break in a La Liga meeting at the Metropolitano, and if they did meet in the quarter-finals, would play each other three times in the space of 9-11 days. Between those games, Barcelona host Espanyol in the Barcelona derby, while Atletico have the Copa del Rey final the weekend after the second leg against Real Sociedad. Rodrigo Mendoza, Barrios and Andreas Christensen are the only players expected to miss the quarter-finals for either side.
🚨 Atletico Madrid’s last 10 away games (excluding the Spanish Super Cup):
– 4 wins
– 4 draws
– 2 losses
– 15 goals scored
– 11 goals conceded
– 3 clean sheets pic.twitter.com/yrGfDq8ezk— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) March 18, 2026
