Barcelona v Atletico Madrid: Last stand for Diego Simeone's old guard?

Atletico are eight points behind Barca with eight La Liga games to play

La Liga pioneers Barcelona have second-set Atletico Madrid at the Nou Camp on Saturday night realizing a success will make a fourth title in five years everything except unavoidable. 

Atletico head into the challenge eight behind the authoritative bosses with eight amusements remaining, so just a triumph will be sufficient to keep up the expectations of Diego Simeone's men.

More than that, however, the diversion is likewise a last possibility for Simeone's old gatekeeper to energize themselves for one final shot at greatness.

In the course of recent years, Atletico's title-winning side of 2014 has been bit by bit worn down, piece by piece, and after this late spring almost certainly, just a couple of will remain.

Ever-solid midfielder Koke will at present be there, alongside the reacquired Diego Costa. That will likely be it, and Atletico are going into a tempestuous summer which offers more conversation starters than it gives answers.

Cautious stalwarts taking off 

Atletico's first prominent closeout of the late spring has just been affirmed, with youthful and flexible French World Glass champ Lucas Hernandez concurring a 80m euro (£68m) move to Bayern Munich.

Losing homegrown Hernandez was a gigantically disappointing blow for Atletico, however in a passionate sense the normal flight of a trio of long-serving guarded lynchpins will be considerably more acutely felt.

Boss among those is fight solidified focus back Diego Godin, whose constant and straightforward style has maybe exemplified Simeone's administrative rule superior to any other person in the course of recent years.

Godin, who might definitely have showed up on the Ballon d'Or platform at this point if safeguards were ever considered for such knickknacks, guaranteed himself a conspicuous spot in Atletico's history books by scoring the objective at Barcelona that conveyed the class title in front of the hosts on the last day of the 2013-14 crusade.

The Uruguayan has been the very meaning of 'stalwart' amid his nine seasons with the club, showing up and for the most part just missing recreations through (not rare) suspensions. Be that as it may, he is presently 33 and out of agreement in the late spring, with a free exchange to Entomb Milan on the cards in spite of supposed enthusiasm from Manchester Joined together.

A comparative circumstance is looked by two of Godin's cautious colleagues, full-backs Juanfran (34) and Filipe Luis (33), who are individual casualties of Atletico's approach of declining to offer contracts longer than one year to players in their 30s.

Juanfran's greatest minute for the club will be associated with all the wrong reasons, with his punishment shootout miss enabling Genuine Madrid to win the 2016 Heroes Group last. Be that as it may, that is brutal on a shrewd player whose understanding yet deliberate play down the right - simply like Filipe Luis' on the other flank - has assumed such a key job in Simeone's technique since he took over in 2011.

These remarkable workers of the club have amassed a joined aggregate of well more than 1,000 diversions for Atletico, and the possibility of seeing three symbols all leave on free exchanges in the meantime is without a doubt upsetting for fans.

Yet, to develop Atletico's worries, they probably won't be the main ones.

Diego Godin and Antoine Griezmann have been key figures in Atletico's success under Diego Simeone

Griezmann, Saul and Partey additionally leaving? 

Losing a whole back four would be sufficiently troublesome, yet Atletico could be compelled to stand up to further change following a crisp episode of theory more than a few progressively key men, including star striker Antoine Griezmann.

While the 28-year-old Frenchman rejected Barcelona in an open way the previous summer and rather marked another arrangement with Atletico, he is presently thought to lament that choice and is seeking after another opportunity to join Barca as an accomplice for - and possible successor to - Luis Suarez.

Atletico president Enrique Cerezo guaranteed for this present week that the odds of Griezmann staying are "1,000%", yet Barca have never made a mystery of their deference for the player and it would be nothing unexpected if their advantage is stirred, particularly if the failing to meet expectations Philippe Coutinho can be proceeded onward for a tolerable charge.

There could likewise be two or three very critical takeoffs from midfield, beginning with revealed Manchester City target Saul Niguez, who has as far as anyone knows become baffled with his limited job under Simeone - notwithstanding being once in a while requested to play at left-back.

Additionally connected with a move is Thomas Partey, the 2018 BBC African Footballer of the Year applicant who has turned into a key figure in the focal point of the field following the previous summer's takeoff of chief Gabi.

Ghana universal Partey, a periodic purveyor of fantastic long-extend objectives, has a discharge provision of simply 50m euro (£43m) and has therefore been connected with essentially every real Chief Group club.

With the fate of focus back Stefan Savic likewise in uncertainty after a showdown with the club's wellness master, 'Teacher' Oscar Ortega - whose possess position is dubious because of the squad being hit by a ruinous rundown of 45 wounds over the course the season - it is clear there is a curiously high level of strife around the Wanda Metropolitano right now.

The inquiry is: what ought to Simeone do about it?

Atletico and Barca drew 1-1 in Madrid earlier in the season

Another clump of understudies? 

Maybe the most noteworthy part of Atletico's title accomplishment in 2014 is that it was to a great extent accomplished with a gathering of generally unknown understudies.

However, that sort of player, maybe, is actually what the unstable Argentine supervisor needs so as to impart his favoured 'us against the world' mindset where each point must be rejected for and each diversion is a severe battle against the chances.

With set up stars, Simeone's reputation is fair, best case scenario. Atletico's record marking, Thomas Lemar, has incredibly frustrated this season, and there have been bounty all the more huge name flounders lately. Jackson Martinez gathered three objectives in 22 recreations after a 35m euro (£30m) move in 2015, Mario Mandzukic was just a fractional achievement, Diego Costa has battled since coming back from Chelsea as a 'major name' as opposed to crude potential, and Nikola Kalinic has been a fiasco.

Obviously, Atletico need to act in the exchange advertise this late spring, particularly in safeguard. But instead than yelping his directions to another type of high-gauge entertainers who have their very own solid feeling worth, Simeone might be better off uncovering a couple of all the more unpleasant precious stones who are appreciative for the chance to be cleaned by such an exceptional mentor.

A clear present model originates from a couple of miles crosswise over Madrid at Getafe, where a cluster of economically amassed has-beens and never-weres are obstinately propelling - in a very Atletico-esque way - an implausible test for the main four.

A standout amongst Getafe's best players, Togo protector Djene Dakonam, is supposedly being arranged as a substitution for Godin. In spite of the fact that it may be a peculiar methodology for a club that inexorably sees itself as having a place with the first class, enrolling moderately low-profile players like Dakonam (additionally a reputed focus for Weapons store) may be the most ideal path for Simeone to develop another group fit for trying for significant distinctions.

To start with, however, there is as yet this current season's title to battle for. Atletico are as of now on the ropes, and Saturday's excursion to Barcelona could see Godin and organization thumped out for good.