Several of the best players in the world will be on show at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, including the Argentinian and the Spaniard.
There is a huge game in LaLiga EA SPORTS this weekend, when club football returns from the international break. Third-placed Atlético de Madrid host leaders FC Barcelona at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Saturday night, a match packed with star players. Two of the most impressive are Julián Alvarez and Lamine Yamal, who are the top scorers across all competitions this season for their respective clubs.
Julián Alvarez: Another productive season in red and white
Julián Alvarez has 17 total goals for Atlético de Madrid, more than centre-forward Alexander Sørloth’s 16 strikes. The Argentinian has been especially productive in the Champions League this term, where has scored eight times, while he also has eight goals in 29 LaLiga EA SPORTS appearances. As for assists, the 26-year-old has nine total this season, with four in European competition and four in league play.
His remaining one goal and one assist both came in the Copa del Rey semifinals, when Atleti defeated Barça. The Argentinian scored one and assisted one in the 4-0 semifinal first leg triumph at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, with Los Colchoneros holding on for a 4-3 aggregate win which has put them in the final against Real Sociedad.
Overall, it has been another productive season for the World Cup winner, in his second campaign in Spain. Even more suited to Diego Simeone’s style of play, Julián Alvarez has taken on a greater role in terms of leading the front line, and hopes to win his first trophy with Atlético de Madrid in April’s cup final.
Lamine Yamal: The teenager’s best season yet
As for Lamine Yamal, the youngster is cementing his place as one of the very best players in world football right now, if not the best. With 21 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, he is on pace to end 2025/26 with even more goal contributions than last season, when he finished 2024/25 with 18 goals and 25 assists to his name.
Having scored his first hat-trick just a few weeks ago, in a 4-1 victory over Villarreal CF in LaLiga EA SPORTS, Lamine Yamal is on top of the world. 12 of his 21 goals have come in the current calendar year, meaning that only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Stuttgart’s Deniz Undav have more goals in 2026 than Lamine Yamal. The 18-year-old is in top form as he approaches this crucial LaLiga EA SPORTS clash.
Who has the upper hand from previous meetings?
This will be the seventh time Julián Alvarez and Lamine Yamal go head to head, having faced off in six previous Atlético de Madrid v FC Barcelona matches. They were due to meet in the Finalissima during the March international break, but that game was cancelled and their first meeting at international level will have to wait. But, the pair will see each other plenty, as this weekend’s league match is followed by a two-legged Champions League quarterfinal coming up in April.
So far, FC Barcelona have won four of the matches in which these two forwards have been on the pitch at the same time, while there has been one draw and one Atlético de Madrid victory – the 4-0 cup win mentioned previously.
Although Lamine Yamal’s team has more often than not been on the winning side, it’s the Atleti frontman who has the better individual stats. Lamine Yamal has scored one goal against Atlético de
Madrid in his young career so far, while Julián Alvarez has three goals against the Catalans. They were both on the scoresheet in last season’s league game at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, a 4-2 Barça victory, so it’ll be interesting to see if history repeats itself on Saturday night.