As we gear up for a relentless stretch of three matches in just ten days against Atlético de Madrid, Diego Simeone sat down with the press to preview the first chapter of this saga.
FC Barcelona play against Atlético tomorrow in La Liga, and then twice more as part of the UEFA Champions League in the few days after that.
Simeone opened by addressing his squad’s fitness, noting that his key players are returning to form at the exact moment the schedule intensifies.
“Everyone is progressing in the best
way. Jan Oblak is with the group. Rodri Mendoza will be back Monday. Pablo Barrios has been working well. Marc Pubill, the same. They are all going to help us,” he noted.
Regarding the tactical shift seen at Barcelona lately, Simeone was quick to credit the impact of our current system.
“Football always goes through the players first; beyond the ideas of the managers, those who resolve these matches are the footballers with their experience and quality,” he said.
He specifically highlighted Barcelona’s aggressive approach, stating, “since the arrival of their coach, they are doing very well, with their high defensive line and wanting to win duels.”
When asked about the mental state of his team and their title hopes, the Atleti boss remained characteristically focused on the long game. “We started the preseason excited to reach this place. If God wills it and helps us, we will be able to compete until the end, and that is the path we are on.”
The most telling part of the press conference was Simeone’s analysis of what makes this current Barça side so dangerous. When asked to name what Barcelona’s most dangerous player was, he didn’t opt for Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, or even Fermín López.
Rather, he said it was the collective pressure that the team applies.
“All of their footballers [are the danger], because they are extraordinary. They have the capacity to play in the opponent’s half, to take away your time so that you can’t think. They repeat it every match, which is very difficult; they play with a high defense and take risks. We will have to take the match to where we can hurt them.”
