Are the big stars going to play?
Most probably, yes. Messi, Suarez and Neymar on the Barcelona side, Antoine Griezmann on the side of the hosts are all healthy and we expect both coaches to field their strongest teams.
Any key absentees?
Yes, as Barca are still without Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, both sidelined through injury, so they have to improvise in midfield. Atletico willl be without starting goalkeeper Jan Oblak and defender Jose Gimenez.
Both teams arive in good form?
Well, no. Atletico are coming off two consecutive draws in LaLiga and they were honestly lucky to even get a point last time out at Alaves. Barcelona also drew 1-1 with Betis at the weekend, although they had a perfectly good goal disallowed, so you can argue that their form is not nearly as troubling as Atletico’s.
Is tonight’s match a knock-out game?
No, there will be a second leg at Camp Nou next Tuesday, although in recent years every time these two teams met in a cup competition (be it Champions League or Copa del Rey) the first leg had a huge impact on the outcome of the tie.