Madrid, Dec 8 – As the Champions League group stage heads toward its final day, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are both fighting to lock in a top‑four spot that guarantees direct entry into the knockout rounds. Barcelona will take on Eintracht Frankfurt at the Camp Nou, which will be the club’s first European fixture of the season after opening the campaign in Montjuïc. With losses to PSG and Chelsea and a 3‑3 draw away to Brugge, Hansi Flick’s side has barely any room to slip up in the 36‑team league’s revamped format. Sitting 18th on seven points from five games, Barcelona need a finish in the top eight for automatic qualification; anything lower will push them into a February playoff. The team is hopeful that they can secure all the points they need from the remaining matches against Frankfurt, Copenhagen, and Slavia Prague, but even a single drop could be perilous. Their recent performances have come at just the right time. The Blaugrana beat Atletico 3‑1 at home last week and then swept Real Betis 5‑3 away, scoring only twice after Flick turned over key names – Raphinha and Lewandowski were rested over the weekend, but both are back, and Fermin Lopez has re‑established himself in midfield. Depending on tactical shifts, Frenkie de Jong could start if Flick swaps Eric Garcia into defense. Meanwhile, Atletico head to PSV Eindhoven with a lingering concern about away results. Diego Simeone’s side has lost both of their Champions League outings on the road – at Liverpool and Arsenal – while holding an unblemished home record. They’re again missing centre‑back Jose Gimenez, full‑back Marcos Llorente, and winger Alex Baena, although midfielder Johnny Cardoso should be back after missing Saturday’s 1‑0 loss to Athletic Club. Barcelona’s weekend victory over Betis was a fine showcase; the match had been expected to be tough against an in‑form opponent who started the weekend in fifth place in La Liga and had an attacking flourish. A flight delay to Seville caused by fog, along with an early goal from Antony, left Hansi Flick’s side looking unlucky. Yet in the sixth minute, Torres smashed away a ball after a smooth pass and volleyed the ball in to give Barcelona the lead – from that point, the match never looked back. Their win against Atletico on Wednesday was another reminder of the threat they pose to their title rivals.
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