Simeone predicts suffering: "Barcelona is very good, possibly the best"

Simeone expects a difficult match against Barcelona, calling them possibly the best team, ahead of Sunday's league-leading clash at the Metropolitano.

Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone held a pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's crucial encounter with Barcelona at the Metropolitano, with the league lead at stake. Simeone praised Barcelona's quality, describing them as possibly the best team, and highlighted their attacking threat from midfield forward, particularly through Raphinha's versatility and movement. He noted that Barcelona's tactical approach remains strong under their current manager, with high pressing and ball recovery, though the absence of a traditional number nine like Lewandowski in favour of Olmo and Raphinha creates different defensive challenges.

When asked about competing on equal terms, Simeone acknowledged Atlético will suffer for large parts of the match but expressed hope they can execute their game plan and create opportunities where they believe they can hurt Barcelona. He confirmed defender Cardoso made an effort to be available and will travel with the squad, with final team selection to be decided. Simeone also defended the playing time of fringe players like Jonathan David and Kang-in, stating they receive minutes based on what they can contribute to the team.