Frenkie de Jong vs Marc Bernal: Two Barcelona midfielders, two very different records against Atletico Madrid

Frenkie de Jong vs Marc Bernal: Two Barcelona midfielders, two very different records against Atletico Madrid Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal offer Hansi Flick two different options and profiles in midfield ahead of Barcelona’s meeting with Atletico Madrid, but the duo’s respective records against Diego Simeone’s side reveal an interesting contrast.  It is to be noted that first-choice midfielder Rodri will be unavailable for this clash due to a thigh injury he picked up against Aston Vill a in the Champions League. As a result, Flick will have to choose from two fantastic options he has at his disposal. On that note, while De Jong has considerably more experience against the Madrid club, Bernal has made a greater individual impact in front of goal despite playing just twice against them. With Rodri unavailable, their respective performances against Atletico provide an interesting reference point for Flick’s selection decision. Frenkie de Jong has the stronger overall record against Atletico De Jong’s experience against Atletico stretches across several seasons, with his 13 appearances producing seven wins and four defeats.  Frenkie de Jong has considerable experience of playing against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) However, his LaLiga record is particularly notable, having collected five victories and suffered two losses in eight meetings. Interestingly, there is an unusual aspect to his recent history against Simeone’s side. Since Flick became Barcelona manager, the Dutchman has not played in a league encounter against Atletico. In the 2024-25 campaign, De Jong remained an unused substitute in one meeting before missing the other through gastroenteritis.  His involvement was again disrupted the following season, when illness and a thigh injury prevented him from featuring in the two league fixtures. Marc Bernal has scored twice in just two appearances Bernal’s record, on the other hand, is considerably smaller but offers a different perspective .  The academy graduate has faced Atletico just twice, both during the 2025-26 season, and has already scored two goals. Marc Bernal has scored twice against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) His first appearance came during Barcelona’s 2-1 victory at the Metropolitano, where he entered the match for the final 22 minutes. His second encounter proved even more memorable individually, as Bernal scored twice in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg as Barcelona secured a 3-0 victory.  However, the result could not overturn Atletico’s 4-0 advantage from the first leg, meaning the Catalans were eliminated despite the midfielder’s contribution. The aforementioned numbers show two contrasting profiles.  De Jong brings a much larger body of experience against Atletico, while Bernal has demonstrated an ability to influence the scoreboard against Simeone’s defence and it is now upto Flick to decide which option he picks.