Atlético Aiming For More Than A Fluke At Barça</p> <span class="sommario">In recent seasons Camp Nou has proven to be a happy hunting ground for Atlético de Madrid, but taking something from their visit this weekend could mean more than ever.</span></p> Since winning promotion back to the top flight five years ago, Los Colchoneros have changed coaches and playing staff at an astonishing rate in a bid to find the magic combination. That annual dive into the transfer market has previously failed to produce a team that has come anyway near living up to the incredible expectations of the club considered to the third biggest in Spain. When victories have come at Barça, as they did in 2004-05 and 2005-06 they have been celebrated long and hard by the visitors, but were the exceptions and the rule. Atlético looked confident and clinical in those wins and during the draw last term, but those performances were highlights of otherwise unsuccessful campaigns. This term, however, there is something different about the Rojiblancos that could mean that a draw or a victory at Camp Nou would not become a sign of potential, but rather one of real growth. Javier Aguirre took the reins at the Vicente Calderón at the start of last season and set high standards to match those of the club and its' fans, but soon realised that the task of restoring Atleti to a side capable of challenging at the top was bigger than ever. The Mexican is a tough task master though and rather than allow his board to splash out on an array of second rate talent to bolster the supporters' hopes once again during the summer, he pinpointed players that were really needed. An mega-offer for Fernando Torres was too good to turn down and, despite fears from the stands, the move was probably the best thing that cold happen to the player and the club. Free from having to rely on the homegrown hero who had clearly gone stale, Aguirre could bring in his own players and build the side that he wanted. Pace, flair and creativity was required to supply Sergio Agüero, who had a modest first season at the club last time out, and Diego Forlán, who was snapped up from Villarreal in the summer. Simão Sabrosa, José Antonio Reyes and Luis García arrived to add width and ammunition, while Raúl García, Cléber Santana and Thiago Motta were brought into strengthen the midfield. The early weeks of the campaign saw spirits deflate once again as the team produced yet more frustrating performances, but Aguirre pleaded for patience as the new arrivals gelled. Just over two weeks ago some thing clicked. Having been jeered off in their previous home game against Mallorca, Atlético produced a powerful display in the UEFA Cup. It may have come against a side from the Turkish second division, but the win against Erciyesspor could become symboltic in a campaign that has seen Atlético finally be tipped to make an impact. A four-goal drubbing of Racing followed, before wins at Athletic Bilbao and at home to Osasuna really saw the message hit home that when the new look side click they can be devastating. Atlético fans even have a new hero in Agüero as the diminutive Argentinian has scored in five of the team's last six league matches and he has become synonymous with the revival. Losing against Real Madrid on the opening day no longer counts, the true test of Aguirre's side comes this weekend at Camp Nou when Atlético look to take on a similarly resurgent Barça. In their last ten visits to the Blaugrana's stadium, Los Colchoneros have only been beaten on three occasions although it has been in recent seasons that those results have been seen as more surprising. As Barça swept to domestic and European glory, they were still unable to beat their old foe from the Spanish capital. This time though, Atlético taking something will be seen as further proof that Aguirre’s side are finally capable of achieving something, rather than as a one-off performance in another season of broken dreams.</p> </p> From left to right: Seitaridis - Garcia - Aguero</p> </p>
Yea thats what I'm thinking too. Ronaldinho will be able to play and Messi is becoming a beast out there. The only two teams I see being able to beat Barca at home are Real Madrid and Sevilla.</p>
<font face="Arial" size="2">Yea I don't see much teams getting the three points against barca</font></p>
