Atleti-Barça began with a padel tournament

Atlético Madrid host Barcelona on Sunday in a title-race showdown; legends from both clubs played a padel tournament on Thursday to build anticipation.

Atlético Madrid will host Barcelona on Sunday in La Liga's standout fixture, with the league leadership at stake. The rivalry intensified this week with a padel tournament featuring club legends at Rivapadel Sports Club in Rivas Vaciamadrid on Thursday.

Atlético legends including Milinko Pantic, Mista, Miguel Ángel Moyà and Sergio Asenjo faced Barcelona icons Luis Milla, Dani García Lara, Alfonso Pérez and Ángel Cuéllar, alongside other former stars like Ezequiel Garay. Ahead of the tournament, Moyà downplayed the stakes, saying the match is not "decisive" as the season is still young, but gave Atlético a 55% chance of victory due to home advantage at the Metropolitano, with Barcelona at 45%.

Luis Milla, who played for Barcelona and had a son in Atlético's academy, called it "an important match" between two teams that have "switched on their engines." Both sides face key absences: Atlético without Cuti Romero and Barcelona without Rodri. Ángel Cuéllar, a former Barcelona player, said a win would be "a very important step" for Atlético to gauge their real title chances in La Liga.