Barcelona visit Atlético Madrid with La Liga top spot at stake
The gist
Barcelona travel to Atlético Madrid on Sunday with first place in La Liga on the line.
The clubs' rivalry is at a high after Barcelona's summer chase of Julián Alvarez.
How it unfolded
- Feb 12, 2026Atlético Madrid beat Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal at the Metropolitano, scoring four first-half goals; Eric García was sent off in the 85th minute and a Pau Cubarsí goal was ruled out after a VAR check.
- Apr 4, 2026Barcelona won 2-1 at 10-man Atlético in La Liga, Robert Lewandowski scoring an 87th-minute winner after Marcus Rashford canceled out Giuliano Simeone's opener; Nicolás González was red carded in first-half stoppage time.
- Oct 25, 2026Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou, cutting Barcelona's lead at the top to two points.
Key terms
- La Liga
- Professional association football league in Spain and the highest level of the Spanish football league system.
- Copa del Rey
- An annual knockout football competition in Spain organized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
- VAR
- A match official in football who reviews decisions using video footage and advises the referee.
Source: Wikipedia