Simeone lauds Raphinha while warning Atletico to stay collective

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone praised Barcelona’s winger Raphinha and dissected the Catalans’ tactics ahead of their crucial La Liga clash, noting Hansi Flick’s influence and the attacking threat the Portuguese presents.

During the pre‑match briefing the Argentine also spoke about Julian Alvarez, Barcelona’s evolution since last season and the tactical tweaks needed to face one of Europe’s most dangerous attacking sides.

Collective focus over individual stars

Simeone made clear that Atletico cannot afford to concentrate solely on individual Barcelona players, insisting on collective organisation and control of the areas where the contest is played.

When asked how to motivate his defence, he stressed the team’s overall approach, saying, “We’re not looking to motivate the defence, but rather to try, as a team, to continue in the same vein and play the sort of match we want to.”

He also referenced Atletico’s previous knockout successes against Barcelona but refused to draw conclusions, noting, “We’re always playing against a very good team – possibly the best; I have no doubt about that.”

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Simeone praised Flick and Barcelona’s midfield talent, warning that the match will be tough and that his side must take the game to areas where they can create problems.

When queried whether Barcelona remain as strong as when he called them the world’s best in 2021, he declined to compare, saying it is not his place but to prepare for tomorrow’s match and deliver for the fans.

He described Raphinha as an extraordinary footballer – hard‑working, fast, a goal scorer and assist provider – adding that last season was incredible and the player has made a brilliant start this campaign, now operating in a different position and offering versatile options.

Simeone gave a brief assessment of Julian Alvarez, simply stating, “He’s doing very well.”

According to Simeone, Barcelona’s style has remained unchanged since last season, with aggressive pressing, a high defensive line and clinical finishing.

He noted the shift from Lewandowski’s positional number nine role, explaining that Raphinha can drop into an attacking midfield link‑up role, but the loss of Lewandowski’s reference point makes defending more complex.