FCBARCELONA.CAT

04.10.2007 14:20

Barça & Atlético Madrid, parallel paths

Berta Brau

Barça and Atlético both made rather irregular starts to the league season.

In the first three matches, Barça drew two and won one while Atlético, managed by Javier Aguirre, drew two and lost one. However, both sides have since won three in a row.

Plenty of goals

Apart from the results themselves, there are similarities in the number of goals scored and conceded. Barça have scored 13 and conceded 4 while Atlético Madrid have scored 11 and also conceded 4. Only Real Madrid have scored more (14) and conceded fewer (3).

La Liga’s two top scorers

Another interesting similarity is that both teams feature exciting young Argentine strikers- Leo Messi and Kun Agüero – who jointly top the ranking of La Liga goal scorers with five apiece. Agüero has scored in 5 of the 6 league matches while Leo Messi has scored a brace in two matches and added a fourth goal to Henry’s hat trick against Levante.

All in all, Sunday’s match in the Camp Nou looks set to be a classic encounter: fourth versus fifth, two historic rivals, two attacking teams, the two top scorers and two teams in great form.