Barcelona interim president wary of Atletico Madrid ahead of showdown – ‘One of the best in Europe’

Riyadh Air Metropolitano sets the stage for the fourth Clásico of the campaign between FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, the opening instalment of a gruelling three-match sequence that will unfold across ten pivotal days.

Barça hold the upper hand in the season series, having defeated Diego Simeone’s side twice while suffering one heavy defeat, yet interim president Rafa Yuste struck a cautious tone when previewing the contest.

“Atletico are one of the best teams in Europe, playing brilliant football with a spectacular attack,” Yuste told SPORT. “Flick says so, and he knows his football – they’ve got a really well-organised defence.”

The 63-year-old executive, who took temporary charge of the club’s day-to-day operations earlier this season, stressed that only a repeat of Barcelona’s recent cup intensity will suffice.

“We’ll have to play very well and put in a performance like we did in the second leg of the Cup,” he added.

With La Liga’s title race tightening, Yuste acknowledged the wider stakes: “It’s a match in which we’re playing for three crucial points to stay at the top of the table, and we’ll see if we can maintain our lead, but above all, we’ve got two very important Champions League matches coming up.”

The demanding calendar was already on the minds of the travelling delegation. “We were saying it on the plane with Hansi: it’s time to play this one and do our best to pick up three points,” Yuste revealed.

Brazilian winger Raphinha will watch from the stands after accumulating too many cards, yet Yuste expressed confidence in the depth of Hansi Flick’s squad.

“Raphinha is a significant loss, but I’m convinced that whoever comes in will perform just as well as Raphinha,” he insisted.

When the conversation shifted to persistent speculation linking Barcelona with a move for Atletico striker Julián Álvarez, Yuste offered only a polite dismissal: “Good afternoon.”

Wednesday’s result could set the tone for a fortnight that may define the destiny of silverware on two fronts for both clubs.