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Special day for Arda Turam as Barca take on Atletico

Xinhua, January 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

FC Barcelona midfielder Adra Turam will face up to his immediate past when his new side faces his former club in the most important game of the weekend in the BBVA Primera Liga on Saturday afternoon.

The game sees the league leaders Barca take on the side second in the table knowing a win will put them three points clear with a game in hand, while a victory for Atletico would see them regain the leadership they lost a week ago after failing to win at home to Sevilla.

Meanwhile for Turam, it sees him come face to face with his immediate past after joining Barcelona from Atletico last summer.

"I have been thinking a lot about the game. I love Atletico," he declared in Spanish sports paper, Diario AS on the eve of the match. Turam added that he would be "a bit nervous" before the game kicked off, but that he would forget the nerves as soon as things go under way.

Saturday is also his 29th birthday and he said the chance to take all three points would be a perfect birthday present.

Barca will be at almost full strength for the game with Neymar and Leo Messi having shown they have shaken off the slight muscle problems which have troubled them in recent weeks and Luis Enrique will line the two in attack alongside Luis Suarez.

Atletico's defense is without doubt their strong point and they have conceded just eight goals in their 21 league games to date and it will be a case of the immovable object of Atletico's defense pitted against the irresistible attack of Barca who have netted 52 league goals so far this campaign.

Fernando Torres is working to be fit enough to play after missing out in Atletico's Cup defeat to Celta Vigo in midweek, but there are increasing doubts over miss-firing Colombian, Jackson Martinez, who was left out in midweek and played only a cameo against Sevilla.

Expect Barca to dominate the ball and look to find a way through, while Atletico look to their defense and the pace of Antoine Griezmann to take the points back to Madrid. Enditem