Barcelona host red-hot Atletico in bid to maintain LaLiga lead

Barcelona are set to host a sizzling Atletico Madrid on Saturday in a highly-anticipated LaLiga clash that will see top spot in play between two sides with completely different momentum.

Diego Simeone's red-hot Atletico are one of the most in-form teams in Europe on an 11-game winning streak in all competitions and looking like a well-oiled machine with Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez and Rodrigo de Paul firing on all cylinders.

While Atletico have won all their games since late October, LaLiga leaders Barca have stumbled in the last few weeks with a series of poor performances that have seen a comfortable nine points lead completely eroded by Saturday's opponents.

They suffered a 1-0 defeat by lowly Leganes on Sunday, their second consecutive home loss, and have only one win in their last six league matches.

Atletico are now level with Barcelona on 38 points after a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Getafe while third-placed Real Madrid are only one point behind.

To make things worse for Hansi Flick's Barca, Atleti and Real have a game in hand, putting even more pressure on the Catalan giants to step up in front of their fans on Saturday.

They will have to do it without talisman Lamine Yamal, who will be out for at least three more weeks with an ankle injury sustained against Leganes.

Barcelona have struggled without their teenage winger, who has won multiple awards as the world's best young player to cap a year in which he helped Spain win Euro 2024 aged only 17.

They won only one of the three games he missed last month due to another ankle injury.

WATCHING BRIEF

Real will be closely watching their rivals clash as they could move top with a win over struggling visitors Sevilla on Sunday if Atletico and Barca draw.

After a 3-3 stalemate at lowly local rivals Rayo Vallecano last weekend, Real got a boost by lifting the Intercontinental Cup with a 3-0 win over Mexico's Pachuca on Wednesday.

Their latest triumph made Carlo Ancelotti the manager with the most titles in the club's history with 15 trophies, surpassing the late Miguel Munoz, who he equalled in August by winning the European Super Cup against Atalanta.

On Tuesday, Real's Brazil forward Vinicius Jr was named Fifa's player of 2024, which was another accolade for the club in a year when they won a LaLiga-Champions League double.

Despite the top-of-the-table drama, Spanish fans will also turn their attention to Sunday's match at the Santiago Bernabeu to bid farewell to Sevilla fullback Jesus Navas, who will be playing his final professional game.

The last active player from Spain's golden generation that became world and European champions more than a decade ago, the 39-year-old announced he was retiring this season after helping his country win a record-extending fourth Euros this year.