FCBARCELONA.CAT

18.05.2007 11:14

At. Madrid v Barça: ups and downs in recent years

Jesús Carrillo

Over the last ten years, FC Barcelona have only lost three times at the Vicente Calderón, a positive balance that contrasts with the trouble Barça have had, since Rijkaard took over the team, to overcome the mattress-makers in their home stadium.

Games between Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona have always been the kind of affairs in which absolutely anything can happen. In the 1990s, Atlético Madrid v FC Barcelona matches were typically high-scoring encounters, with some extraordinary matches between the two sides back in the days when Johan Cruyff was manager.

FC Barcelona have travelled to Atlético for eight league matches in the last decade, as the Madrid based side was in the second division for two of those years, and the results have generally gone in favour of Barça’s interests.

Just three losses

Barça may find it hard to win at the Vicente Calderón, but since the turn of the century the results have generally been good, with three wins, two draws and three defeats. The best result was an impressive 3-0 in 1999-2000, when Louis van Gaal was in charge, and the last time Barcelona sealed three points from a visit to the Calderón.

Rijkaard’s bogey team

Worryingly, Atlético is the team against which Frank Rijkaard has the poorest record since taking over at the helm of Barça, having only won one out of seven meetings. That was in the 03-04 at the Camp Nou, a game that ended 3-1. Barça went on to lose two consecutive league matches at home to the red and whites, and this year were held to a 1-1 draw. On visits to Madrid under Rijkaard, Barça have drawn twice and last term suffered 2-1 defeat.