Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid: Champions League preview, predictions and bet builder tips

• Fixture: FC Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid

• Competition: Champions League

• Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026

• Kick-off: 8pm BST

• Venue: Camp Nou

Our prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Atletico Madrid

Barcelona

Our predicted XI (4-2-3-1): J. Garcia / E. Garcia, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo / Bernal, Pedri / Yamal, Fermin, Rashford / Lewandowski

Atletico Madrid

Our predicted XI (4-4-2): Musso / Molina, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri / Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman / Alvarez, Griezmann

These two sides are getting awfully familiar with each other, as this will remarkably be their fifth meeting in 2025/26, and back-to-back games against each other. Of the previous four, Barcelona have won three and Atletico one, although Atleti defeated Barca 4-3 over two legs in the Copa Del Rey semi-finals. At the weekend, it was Barca who secured a crucial late 2-1 away win to take them seven points clear at the top of La Liga.

In their Champions League head-to-head, Barca and Atleti have twice met at this stage of the competition, and it was Diego Simeone's side who prevailed on each occasion in 2013/14 and 2015/16. In both seasons, Atleti ended up losing finalists to bitter rivals Real Madrid.

Barca are finally back at Camp Nou after renovations were completed, and they've been in remarkable form at home this season, winning 20 of their 21 home games in all competitions. Meanwhile, Atleti have won just one of their last five away games in La Liga, and won just one of their six away Champions League games this season. We're backing the Catalan side to repeat their victory at the weekend, picking up a 3-1 first-leg win.

Hansi Flick's side high-risk, high-reward style is thrilling to watch but opponents have no problems creating chances against them, and both teams have scored in nine of Barca's ten Champions League games this season. Perhaps more surprisingly, that stat is also true for Diego Simeone's team, who have failed to keep a single clean sheet in this season's competition. So to go with our 3-1 prediction, we're tipping both teams to score as part of our Barca vs Atletico bet builder.

Robert Lewandowski continues to deliver at the highest level of European football. The 37-year-old's minutes have been managed a bit more this campaign, but he's still got 17 goals in all competitions, and came off the bench to score a vital winner at the Metropolitano on Saturday.

The Polish striker has scored in each of Barca's last two home Champions League games, including a brace in the last 16 against Newcastle, and is averaging 2.41 shots on target per game across the last five Champions League fixtures. We think Lewandowski will start, and we're backing one of the greatest strikers of his generation to make an impact by having at least two shots on target.

Veteran midfielder Koke has been a key lieutenant for Diego Simeone, making over 700 appearances for Atletico in all competitions since his debut in 2009, and he remains as reliable as ever. The Atleti skipper has picked up the joint-most bookings for his side in La Liga this season with five, including one in their loss to Barca at the weekend, when he was subbed at half-time with Wednesday in mind.

Koke hasn't picked up a booking in the Champions League this season, in contrast to eight of his teammates who are at risk of suspension, and we think that extra leeway could encourage him to be a bit more forceful in his tackling, leading to a second consecutive booking for the 34-year-old against Barcelona.

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.