18.05.2007 11:14
At. Madrid v Barça: ups and downs in recent years
Jesús Carrillo
Over the last ten years, FC Barcelona have only lost three times at the Vicente Calderón, a positive balance that contrasts with the trouble Barça have had, since Rijkaard took over the team, to overcome the mattress-makers in their home stadium.
Games between Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona have always been the kind of affairs in which
absolutely anything can happen. In the 1990s, Atlético Madrid v FC Barcelona matches were typically
high-scoring encounters, with some extraordinary matches between the two sides back in the days
when Johan Cruyff was manager.
FC Barcelona have travelled to Atlético for eight league matches in the last decade, as the
Madrid based side was in the second division for two of those years, and the results have generally
gone in favour of Barça’s interests.
Just three losses
Barça may find it hard to win at the Vicente Calderón, but since the turn of the century the
results have generally been good, with three wins, two draws and three defeats. The best result was
an impressive 3-0 in 1999-2000, when Louis van Gaal was in charge, and the last time Barcelona
sealed three points from a visit to the Calderón.
Rijkaard’s bogey team
Worryingly, Atlético is the team against which Frank Rijkaard has the poorest record since
taking over at the helm of Barça, having only won one out of seven meetings. That was in the 03-04
at the Camp Nou, a game that ended 3-1. Barça went on to lose two consecutive league matches at
home to the red and whites, and this year were held to a 1-1 draw. On visits to Madrid under
Rijkaard, Barça have drawn twice and last term suffered 2-1 defeat.