Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are about to contest a Champions League quarter-final, but before that two-legged continental clash they will go head-to-head in La Liga on Saturday.Who will win the first instalment of the upcoming trilogy? With Real Madrid still in the title hunt, Barcelona cannot afford to look ahead to the Champions League tie just yet.Atletico Madrid win or a draw – 4/6 with CoralBoth teams to score and over 2.5 goals – 7/10 with LadbrokesJulian Alvarez to score any time – 5/4 with BoyleSportsAtletico Madrid vs Barcelona oddsFind the latest Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona predictionsTwo weeks from now, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will be sick of the sight of each other.In a 10-day period from April 4 to April 14, the Spanish sides will play each other three times – once in La Liga and twice in the Champions League.Given the pair also contested a two-legged Copa del Rey tie in February and March, Atletico and Barcelona will soon have done battle five times in just two months.It is advantage Atleti as things stand. A 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the first leg of that cup tie was one of their best ever results in the entire Diego Simeone era.Barca almost pegged them back at the Camp Nou, but a 3-0 win was not quite enough for Hansi Flick’s side to turn the semi-final around.In the Champions League, the dynamic will be different. Barcelona host Atletico for the first leg, with the return fixture scheduled for the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.Before that is a La Liga game in danger of being overshadowed by the imminent European showdown. However, for Barcelona in particular Saturday’s match is vital.By the time this fixture kicks off at 8pm GMT, Real Madrid may well be within a point of Barcelona in top spot.The gap at the time of writing is four points, but the Blancos face Real Mallorca in an eminently winnable game on Saturday afternoon. That gives them a chance to pile the pressure on Barcelona.Atletico have less to play for in the league. Currently fourth, they hold a 13-point lead over Real Betis in fifth, so Champions League qualification is virtually guaranteed.Simeone’s side will be keen to retake third place from Villarreal, who edged ahead of Atletico prior to the March international break, but a 12-point deficit to Real Madrid puts a top-two finish out of reach.Barcelona won five games on the spin before the pause for international matches. Zoom out further and they have emerged victorious in 17 of their last 19 La Liga assignments, a remarkable run which saw them leapfrog Madrid at the summit of the standings.But nothing has been achieved yet. April is a massive month for Barcelona. If things go well, they will be Champions League semi-finalists and Spanish champions-elect.If things go badly, however, the Blaugrana would be at risk of ending the season empty-handed bar the Supercopa de Espana.Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona betting tipsIt is third against first in La Liga this weekend – who will come out on top in the Spanish capital?Point at most for BarcaThe score does not finish level in matches involving Barcelona very often.You have to go all the way back to August 31 to find the last time Barca picked up a solitary point in La Liga. It remains their only draw of the campaign to date.Yet in our estimation, there is a decent chance Saturday’s clash in the capital will finish with nothing separating the two teams.The Metropolitano is a difficult place to go when Atletico are on it, and they will be determined to lay down a marker ahead of the Champions League quarter-final. Simeone’s team can get something from this game. Choose an Atletico Madrid win or a draw at 4/6 with Coral Entertainment in storeAnyone who describes Atletico Madrid as a cautious, conservative or defence-minded side has not been paying enough attention.Those were once accurate ways to talk about Simeone’s side, but they have grown to be outdated this term.Sure, Atletico are still involved in low-scoring encounters from time to time, but just look at some of their recent results: a 3-2 loss to Real Madrid, a 5-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, a 3-2 defeat by the same opponents.Then there was that 4-0 thumping of Barcelona in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi, followed by a 3-0 loss at the Camp Nou.Goals are on the cards on Saturday, with a clean sheet likely to elude both teams. Go for both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 7/10 with Ladbrokes Alvarez to shineJulian Alvarez has been linked with a move away from Atletico Madrid in recent weeks – and Barcelona are said to be among the interested parties.With Robert Lewandowski set to depart Catalonia this summer, Barca will soon have a vacancy at the top of the pitch.Whether or not Alvarez ends up at the Camp Nou remains to be seen, but he will be determined to make his mark against the Blaugrana over the next fortnight.The Argentina international found the net for his country against Zambia on Tuesday. Now he can make his mark against Barcelona. Select Julian Alvarez to score any time at 5/4 with BoyleSports Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona predicted lineupsAtletico Madrid expected lineup: Musso; Molina, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Baena, Lookman; Griezmann, Alvarez.Barcelona expected lineup: J. Garcia; Araujo, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo; Pedri, Bernal; Yamal, Lopez, Rashford; Lewandowski. Where to watch Atletico Madrid vs BarcelonaLocation: Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain.Date and time: Saturday 4th April, 8pm.How to watch: Disney+.More La Liga predictionsWe have plenty more La Liga predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.About the authorGreg LeaGreg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootballCommercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. Gam Care. T&Cs apply. 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