Singaporeans' chance to see football stars such as Lionel Messi in their country increased as the country's tourism board signed a four-year deal with the International Champions Cup (ICC). (Photo : Getty Images)
Back-to-back champions FC Barcelona (3-1-0, 9 points) will aim to build a new winning run in the young 2016-2017 La Liga season as they clash with fellow powerhouse team Atletico Madrid (2-0-2, 8 points) on Sep. 21, Wednesday at the Camp Nou.
Start Time and Streaming Info
The game starts at 4:00 p.m. ET. It can be viewed live online thru FuboTV.
Barça kicked off the season perfectly with a two-game winning streak as head coach Luis Enrique's side looked as formidable as ever with their vaunted triumvirate attack of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Neymar in top form.
However, a lackluster and complacent performance against newly-promoted side Deportivo Alaves in the third week brought them back to the ground with a 1-2 loss right at the Nou Camp. The game saw Messi and Suárez coming off the bench past the hour mark where they could not do anything anymore to reverse the momentum of the match.
Enrique brought the trio back in the starting lineup in their game against Leganes last Saturday at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque, where they won via a 5-1 demolition job, to regain the team's confidence, as per The Guardian.
Messi and Suárez ran riot in the opening minutes with a goal at the 15th and 31st to zoom to a 2-0 lead. Neymar followed suit a minute before halftime to make it a 3-0 count at the break.
Messi scored his second one 10 minutes into the restart via a penalty kick before Rafinha sealed the win at the 54th.
Leganes was able to score a consolation at the 80th with a goa from Brazilian Gabriel, but that was all the hosts can do against the Barcelona onslaught.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid did a similar devastation against Sporting Gijon, pulling off a 5-0 rout at the Vicente Calderón Stadium also last Saturday, Daily Mail Online reported.
Strikers Antoine Griezmann and Fernando Torres both unleased braces to lead head coach Diego Simeone's boys in the lopsided affair.
Griezmann struck the opening goal at the second minute before Kevin Gameiro quickly doubled it at the fifth. The Frenchman then hit again at the 31st to make it a 3-0 lead at the half.
Torres substituted for Griezmann at the 69th and scored his own double at the 72nd and in injury time to complete the team's five-goal haul.
Barça versus Atleti is always expected to be a highly-entertaining, high-profile matchup between two of the best teams in the world. It would be tough from start to finish, but the Catalonia residents are slightly favored to prevail in the end.
Prediction and Predicted Lineup
The predicted result is a close 3-2 decision for Barcelona.
Barcelona starting lineup (3-4-3 formation): ter Stegen; Mascherano, Pique, Umtiti; Rafinha, Rakitic, Iniesta, Alba; Messi, Suárez, Neymar
Atletico Madrid starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Oblak; Vrsaljko, Savic, Godin, Luis; Gaitan, Koke, Niguez, Carrasco; Gameiro, Griezmann
