Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid: Issues That Will Shape Copa Del Rey Game

Barcelona host Atletico Madrid in the first leg of an epic Copa del Rey quarter-final.

Two of La Liga's heavyweights will do battle once again, just 10 days after the Catalans comprehensively outplayed the Rojiblancos in a match which saw all three of Barca's attack get on the scoresheet.

The match represents the first real test of Barca's aspirations of silverware this season and a chance for Atleti to prove that last season wasn't just a fluke.

Let's take a look at a few things that could shape the outcome of this one...

Atleti Won't Play as Badly Again

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Atleti were disjointed at the Camp Nou in their La Liga match.

During 2014 Barca failed to beat Atleti on six separate occasions.

After a humiliating loss to Real Sociedad it seemed unlikely that the status quo would change when Atleti pitched up at Camp Nou for the second game of 2015.

However, Diego Simeone's side were comprehensively beaten, which doesn't happen often these days.

The quirks of fate decree that Atleti have an almost immediate chance of revenge and it's highly likely that the visitors won't play as badly as they did in the previous encounter.

Full House at Camp Nou

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A capacity crowd at Camp Nou will ensure a fabulous atmosphere.

Some people call it the 12th man.

When the chips are down there's nothing quite like having the crowd behind you to lift spirits and give extra impetus.

Barcelona will be the beneficiaries of a full-to-capacity Camp Nou for the tie and, while there will surely be an expectation of victory, having 99,000 supporters in your corner is of obvious benefit.

Diego Simeone holds great stock in having the Vicente Calderon bouncing when the big teams come to Madrid. Enthusiastically whipping up the crowd is all part of his game plan.

Barca need to ensure that Atleti are met in kind this week.

Away Goal Crucial

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Fernando Torres showed how important the away goal is at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The away goal in a two-legged cup tie should never be downplayed.

We saw how crucial it was for Atleti that Real Madrid didn't manage one at the Vicente Calderon. Fernando Torres' opener at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first minute merely rammed the point home.

With the second leg at home, should Atleti make a breakthrough it's arguable that the advantage in the tie will fall very firmly in their favour, unless Barca have produced a similar goalscoring performance to their recent league match.

Success Down the Channels

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Lionel Messi on the right paid dividends for Barca.

Why change a winning formula?

Playing Lionel Messi down the right with the ability to cut inside paid immediate dividends against Atleti in the league game.

You could argue that Diego Simeone should've played Guilherme Siqueira from the start in the left-back position but no matter. Barca were still able to create and penetrate even with him on the pitch.

With Diego Godin and Joao Miranda as rock-solid as ever centrally, Luis Enrique should ensure that the team concentrates their efforts down the flanks, getting the ball to the byline to be cut back for any players arriving late into the box.

Dont Change a Winning Side

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The best Barca were on show in the league match between the sides.

Unless injuries preclude the same, Luis Enrique has to start with the same XI that was successful in the league match between the sides.

Man for man, it's potentially as good as Barca are going to get in terms of showcasing their strongest starting lineup.

Lucho used the same starting XI vs. Deportiva La Coruna, the first time this season that he hadn't rotated the squad.

There'll be few complaints if he keeps the same starters again and the result is the same as it was just under a fortnight ago.