Football: Barca face Atletico in crunch clash

Atletico has made an impressive start to the campaign and trail the Catalans by seven points.

MADRID: With Real Madrid trailing by 11 points, Barcelona’s closest threat is from Atletico Madrid who they face tomorrow and midfielder Xavi Hernandez feels it is an opportunity to dent their title aspirations.

Barca have made a record start to the season with a remarkable 14 wins from 15 games and while the reigning champions and traditional rivals Real Madrid have not been able to live with the pace it has been their neighbours Atletico who is made an impressive start to the campaign and trail the Catalans by seven points.

“It is too early to really say who are going to be the biggest rival and at the moment it looks as though both will be strong rivals,” said Xavi. “Atletico are very strong. People said that they were going to slip-up but they haven’t very much and now this weekend we have our chance to make them slip-up.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2012.