MX23RW : Friday, January 24 03:30:16| >> :120:22665:22665:
[monks data]
Barcelona logo
Champions League | Quarter-Finals
Apr 1, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Atletico Madrid logo

1-1

Neymar (71')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Diego (56')

Xavi predicts close Atletico Madrid tie

Barcelona midfielder Xavi says that Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final clash with Atletico Madrid will be "very even".

Barcelona midfielder Xavi believes that Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final clash with Atletico Madrid will be "very even".

Atletico travel to the Camp Nou for the first leg next week currently sitting top of La Liga, one point ahead of Barca with seven games remaining.

"We're second in the league now but we know we're up against a very strong team," he told Barca's official website. "Atletico Madrid are in brilliant form at the moment. Maybe the only handicap we face is that we play the return leg at the Vicente Calderon, but I think the tie is 50-50.

"Perhaps we're slight favourites because of our history. But if we look at how both teams are playing, it's very even. It'll be decided by the details.

"We don't usually enjoy playing them because they don't give you any space. They're good at closing down the areas where we try to create things. In Diego Costa they have a player who's in brilliant form. He makes the most of every situation."

Barcelona were knocked out in the semi-finals of the Champions League by Bayern Munich last season.

ID:147257: cacheID:147257:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2193:
Written by
Matt Law
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Head coach Diego Simeone of Atletico de Madrid congratulates goal-scorer Diego Costa during a La Liga match on October 27, 2013
Read Next:
Simeone praises Costa
>
Read more about Xavi Diego Costa Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
QLiverpool770021
QBarcelona760118
3Inter Milan751116
4Arsenal751116
5Atletico750215
6AC Milan750215
7Atalanta742114
8B. Leverkusen741213
9Monaco741213
10Brest741213
11Aston Villa741213
12Lille741213
13Feyenoord741213
14Dortmund740312
15Real Madrid740312
16Bayern740312
17Juventus733112
18Celtic733112
19PSV732211
20Brugge732211
21Benfica731310
22PSG731310
23Sporting Lisbon731310
24Stuttgart731310
25Man City72238
26Dinamo Zagreb72238
27Shakhtar72147
28Bologna71245
29Sparta Prague71154
30Sturm Graz71063
31RB Leipzig71063
32Girona71063
33Red Star71063
34Salzburg71063
35Slovan Bratislava70070
36Young Boys70070


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!