Atlético Madrid host Barcelona at their stadium in the standout fixture of round 12 of La Liga, scheduled for Sunday 8 November 2026. The clash pits the third-placed side (28 points) against the leaders (30 points), a tough test for both teams after their European commitments.
FC BarcelonaAtlético Madrid’s expected lineup
Diego Simeone is likely to stick with a 4-4-2, based on the last starting XI the team fielded against Bayern Munich on 3 November 2026. There may be a change in midfield due to the absence of Pablo Barrios through injury, with one of the substitutes potentially coming in, though this is not confirmed.
- Goalkeeper: J. Oblak
- Defence: Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, D. Hancko, Marc Pubill
- Midfield: Giuliano Simeone, Alejandro Grimaldo, Álex Baena (with Barrios absent, a replacement from outside the last starting XI may come in)
- Attack: A. Sørloth, J. Álvarez
Barcelona’s expected lineup
The coach is using a 4-2-3-1 according to the last official match against Aston Villa on 3 November 2026. Key absences in midfield and defence may force changes, but the expected lineup is based on those available from that squad.
- Goalkeeper: Joan García
- Defence: Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, João Cancelo (with Koundé and Christensen absent, another defender from outside the last squad may feature)
- Midfield: Bryan Fariñas, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, Raphinha (captain) (with Rodri absent, another player may fill in)
- Attack: Anthony Gordon
Main absentees
Atlético Madrid are without:
- K. Romero — muscle injury
- Pablo Barrios — ankle injury
For Barcelona, the following are out:
- Andreas Christensen — thigh injury
- Dani Olmo — thigh injury
- Jules Koundé — ankle sprain
- Rodri — hamstring injury
- Roony Bardghji — cruciate ligament injury
- J. Espart — ankle injury
The absences of Rodri and Barrios affect the midfield, while the injuries to Koundé and Christensen put pressure on Barça’s defensive depth.
Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona kick-off time and TV channels
The match will be played on Sunday 8 November 2026 at Atlético Madrid’s stadium. Kick-off is at 21:00 Morocco and Algeria time, 22:00 Egypt time, 23:00 Saudi Arabia time. The match will be broadcast on beIN SPORTS 1 in the Middle East and North Africa.
InfoSport stats
- Barcelona have the strongest attack in La Liga with 46 goals in 11 matches, while Atlético have scored 22.
- Atlético’s defence has conceded only 8 goals, compared to 12 conceded by Barcelona.
- In their last meeting on 2 December 2025, Barcelona won 3-1 at home in La Liga.
The top-of-the-table clash could shape the title race early, with Atlético looking to make the most of home advantage and Barcelona seeking to return to winning ways after their defeat to Real Madrid. The lineups mentioned are expected based on the latest official selections and may change according to injuries and rotation.
