Simeone expects Atletico Madrid to suffer against Barcelona and praises ‘exceptional’ Raphinha

Diego Simeone says Atletico Madrid are prepared to endure long periods of pressure when they face Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.

Atletico host the league leaders at Riyadh Air Metropolitano in the 12th round of the season, with Barcelona two points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid.

“We are facing a very good team and we know we will suffer for a large part of the match,” Atletico manager Simeone said at his pre-match news conference. “But we hope we can produce the game we have planned.”

Barcelona have retained their playing style from last season, according to Simeone, who also credited their manager with successfully transferring his ideas to the squad.

“They have not changed their style of play. It is an excellent approach, and their manager has done an exceptional job in instilling his ideas in the players,” he said.

Simeone believes, however, that Barcelona’s use of Raphinha in a different position has created a new tactical challenge for opponents.

“The difference is Raphinha’s position. He can play as a number 10, while Gordon has been performing very well on the left wing,” he said.

“Defensively, things have become more complicated because having Raphinha is different from playing with a traditional centre-forward.”

The Atletico boss was particularly impressed by Raphinha’s contribution and said his current role has given Barcelona more attacking options.

“For me, he is an exceptional player because of his hard work, personality, goals and assists,” Simeone added. “He had an incredible season, and he is currently enjoying a wonderful period in a different position that gives Barcelona many possibilities.”

Simeone provided a brief update on Julian Alvarez ahead of the match, saying only: “He is in very good condition.”

He also explained that Jonathan David and Kang-in Lee are being used according to the amount of playing time in which they can make the biggest contribution.

“I believe Jonathan David and Kang-in Lee play the minutes during which they can add something to the team, and I try to get the best out of every player,” he said.

Atletico have enjoyed better results against Barcelona in knockout matches, but Simeone said he could not explain some of the differences between those games and other meetings.

“I do not have an explanation for some of the results, but we are going to face a very good team, perhaps the best,” he said. “They have enormous talent, from midfield through to the attack.”

Simeone expects a demanding contest and said Atletico must find a way to make the match uncomfortable for their opponents.

“It will be an extremely difficult game, and we have to put it in a context that allows us to hurt our opponent,” he said.