Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are two of the biggest clubs across the top five European leagues. The Blaugrana, of course, have a much richer history, with them winning five UEFA Champions League trophies and 27 La Liga titles, among other honours. Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, have 11 La Liga titles to their name and are still searching for their first European crown.
History undeniably favours the Catalonians, but the present-day picture is a lot different. Under the tutelage of Diego Simeone, Atletico have become a thorn in Barca’s side, challenging for the title almost every season and fanning their already fierce rivalry.
In the 21st century, only a handful of players have gone on to play for both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. In the list below, we will take a look at the five most famous names who have experienced life in both camps.
Let’s begin!
#5 Joao Felix
Atletico Madrid paid a record €127.2 million (£105.5 million) fee to sign Joao Felix from Portuguese side Benfica in July 2019. Unfortunately, the move did not work out nearly as well as Los Rojiblancos had expected, with Felix failing to slot into Diego Simeone’s system.
In January 2023, Atletico loaned Felix out to Chelsea, but his contract did not have a purchase clause. In June, he returned to Madrid and spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Barcelona. He played 44 games for the club in all competitions, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists.
According to reports, Felix wanted to make his stay permanent, but Atletico and Barca could not reach an agreement. Chelsea, however, capitalized on the situation and prized Felix away for around £45 million. Before leaving for Stamford Bridge, Felix played 131 games for Atletico, registering 34 goals and 18 assists.
#4 David Villa
In July 2010, Barcelona lapped up one of the most influential forwards in Spanish history, David Villa, from Valencia. Villa, who had won the FIFA World Cup with Spain just before joining Barca, effortlessly fit into Pep Guardiola’s system, adding more finesse and sharpness to it.
In his debut season, he scored 23 goals and provided 12 assists in 52 games in all competitions, helping Barcelona to the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and the Supercopa de Espana. He spent two more seasons at Barca, adding 25 goals and 12 assists to his tally in 67 games, winning another La Liga title and a Copa del Rey, among other honours.
At the end of the 2012-13 season, Villa joined La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid. He was at the club for just one season, but he made it count. Scoring 15 goals and providing five assists in 47 games, helping Atletico to the La Liga title and the final of the UEFA Champions League.
#3 Sergio Aguero
Atletico Madrid signed a fresh-faced Argentine attacker from Independiente in July 2006. The striker, Sergio Aguero, spent five years in the Spanish capital, emerging as one of the best strikers in La Liga.
He won his first piece of silverware with Atletico Madrid in 2009-10, scoring two goals and providing three assists in eight matches to help his team to the UEFA Europa League trophy. His second and final trophy with Atletico was the UEFA Super Cup in 2010-11. He scored and assisted as Los Rojiblancos beat Inter Milan 2-0.
Before departing for Manchester City in the summer of 2011, Aguero played 234 games for Atletico in all competitions, scoring 101 goals and providing 46 assists.
Aguero became a Premier League legend during his time with Man City, winning the title a whopping five times. After a decade of success in England, the Argentine returned to Spain, this time pledging allegiance to Barcelona. Unfortunately, Aguero’s Barca spell was cut short due to a heart condition. After playing just five games in all competitions and scoring once, Aguero bid Barca goodbye and retired from professional football.
#2 Luis Suarez
One of the finest strikers the world has ever seen, Luis Suarez joined Barcelona from Liverpool in a £65 million deal in July 2014. Suarez was serving a four-month ban from world football at the time for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. The Blaugrana still took a chance on him, and boy did it pay off.
Joining the action in October, Suarez slowly found his groove. He formed a formidable alliance with Lionel Messi — his current Inter Miami teammate — and Neymar, taking defences apart at will and helping Barcelona to the Treble. He played 43 games for the Catalans that season, scoring 25 goals and providing 23 assists.
Suarez faithfully served Barcelona leading up to his shocking exit to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2020. The Uruguayan signed off after scoring 195 goals and claiming 113 assists in 283 matches across competitions, winning three more La Liga titles.
Suarez proved to be an instant success at Atletico Madrid, scoring 21 goals in 32 league games to propel his new employers to the Spanish top-flight title. He spent one more season in Atletico Madrid before leaving as a free agent. During his stay in Madrid, Suarez scored 34 goals and provided six assists in 83 matches.
#1 Antoine Griezmann
One of the most versatile forwards of the 21st century, Antoine Griezmann moved to Atletico Madrid from Real Sociedad in July 2014. Already familiar with La Liga, Griezmann hit the ground running at Atletico, emerging as one of the first names on Diego Simeone’s team sheet.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner won his first trophy with Atletico at the end of the 2017-18 season. He chipped in with six goals and four assists in just eight games to help Atletico Madrid to the second-most prestigious European trophy, the UEFA Europa League.
In July 2019, Barcelona spent an eye-popping £108 million to bring Griezmann to Catalonia. On paper, it looked like an excellent decision, but it ultimately turned out to be a disaster. After spending just two seasons in Catalonia — 35 goals and 17 assists in 102 games — Griezmann returned to Atletico Madrid on a two-year loan. In July 2023, Atletico Madrid made the move permanent, signing him for just £16.7 million.
Across two spells, Griezmann has played 413 games for Los Colchoneros, scoring 192 goals and claiming 90 assists.
