Barcelona’s La Liga hopes get a lift as Atletico Madrid will be without two key players | OneFootball

As Barcelona gear up for a crucial away fixture against Atletico Madrid, they have been handed a significant advantage.

As such, Diego Simeone’s side will be without two of their key players, which could tilt the balance in favour of the Catalan giants.

Atletico Madrid captain Koke and forward Angel Correa will both be unavailable for selection.

Correa begins serving a five-match suspension following his red card against Getafe, which was further aggravated by his verbal exchange with the referee.

His absence removes an important attacking option for Simeone, weakening their forward line.

Meanwhile, Koke remains sidelined due to injury. The experienced midfielder, who picked up discomfort in Atletico’s clash with Celta Vigo on February 15, has yet to recover and will miss this high-stakes encounter, reports SPORT.

His absence is a major setback for Atletico, as he plays a crucial role in dictating their midfield tempo.

There is some news in Atletico’s midfield

Angel Correa will be absent for Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

On a more positive note for Atletico, Rodrigo De Paul has recovered from a recent injury scare. The Argentine midfielder was seen struggling with cramps towards the end of Atletico’s Champions League clash, raising concerns about his fitness.

However, he was back in training with the squad and looks set to feature against Barcelona.

Despite De Paul’s return, Barcelona will see this as an opportunity to capitalise on Atletico’s weakened squad.

Without Koke’s control in midfield and Correa’s attacking threat, Barcelona can assert their dominance and push for a crucial victory in La Liga.

Given their need for points in the title race, this game presents the perfect chance to make a strong statement away from home.

With a well-prepared approach, Barcelona have everything in place to exploit Atletico’s vulnerabilities and come away with a vital win.