Moments later, central defender Diego Godin, back in the Atletico side after a minor injury, pokes his eight-yard shot over the bar from a corner.

Maybe if it was his head....

Close. Very close.

A teasing in-swinger is played into the Barca six-yard area. Antoine Griezmann leaves it for Yannick Carrasco behind him, but the Belgium international fails to make anything with the golden chance.

I think he was caught by surprise.

Barca are wearing that rather horrid green kit, which on a pitch graced by afternoon shade does not help this text commentator.

Atletico gets us under way.

Gladiators ready....

3....

2....

1....

Image source, EPA

Simeone has had his say on Barca, and so has Barca's stalwart defender Mr.Shakira.

"We're not going through our best moment of form," Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said. "We're focused on finding solutions. The most important thing is to get back to playing the way we like to play."

It's obviously all relative, but they are in a cup final and they're a point behind the league leaders.

As I said, all relative.

Image source, EPA

Despite Barcelona's recent struggles (heavy defeat by PSG and struggling past Leganes last week) Atletico coach Diego Simeone is not taking the opponents lightly - as naturally you wouldn't if you saw the starting XI.

The Argentine said: "Barcelona are still the best team in the world and it all depends on what they do.

"It's very difficult to compete as they have done over the last decade; they've won eight trophies with Enrique and competed at the highest level and anyone can have a bad day like they did in Paris."

Image source, .

Long gone are the days when La Liga was a Atletico-Real-Barca race - although give it a month or so...  

Here is the table so far. Sevilla's 2-1 win over Betis on Saturday moved them level on points with leaders Real Madrid, who play Villarreal later. Sevilla have played two more games than Zinedine Zidane's side.

Should Atletico win it would make things very interesting.

Atletico defender Diego Godin returns to central defence having last played for the Madrid side at the start of February.

Slovenia keeper Jan Oblak also returns to the starting XI having been out since December.

France duo Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro begin in attack.

Atletico XI: Oblak; Vrsaljko, Godin, Savic, Filipe; Gabi, Koke, Saul, Carrasco; Griezmann, Gameiro 

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique opts for Rafinha as the central midfield partner for Andres Iniesta instead of Ivan Rakitic.

It's the usual combination of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in attack.

Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Umtiti, Mathieu; Rafinha, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar. 

Image source, Getty Images

No time to mess about.

This is big.

Atletico v Barca.

If it doesn't end 5-5 I'll eat my sevillano**

Team news coming up right now...

*The English translation is 'this is big'

**I won't be doing that, and it probably won't finish 5-5