“He doesn’t understand other situations” – Diego Simeone aims dig at Xavi for old comments on Atletico Madrid’s playing style ahead of Barcelona clash
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has called out Xavi for the Barcelona manager's prior comments on the side's style of play ahead of the La Liga clash between the pair on Sunday.
Simeone is no stranger to off-field drama and the tension between the two sides has heated up on the eve of their match, which is of high importance for both teams.
Simeone, speaking to SPORT, said:
“Years ago Xavi said that Atlético de Madrid’s style was not for big teams. Now he will have the opportunity to display what he wants and imagines, since he has new signings and eight players available for his front-three.”
Indeed Xavi has made many changes to his Barcelona team since his arrival, bringing in the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Arsenal and Manchester City's Ferran Torres.
Simeone continued:
“When a person has only lived with one situation in his life, he doesn’t understand other situations… What he thinks (Xavi) is very respectable because he had the opportunity to have lived huge successes at Barcelona.”
The clash between the pair is regarded by Xavi a sixth-pointer and these comments from Simeone will only spice things up ahead of the game.
Atlético Madrid has not won a match at Camp Nou since 2006. Simeone has never won a match at Camp Nou. He has a record of zero wins, seven draws, and seven losses at Barcelona's stadium. #FCB #Atleti [Sport] https://t.co/g4qQyRSHHl
Atletico Madrid currently sit fourth in La Liga whilst Barcelona are in fifth position with a mere point separating the two sides.
Have Barcelona manager Xavi's comments come back to bite him?
Since Xavi claimed Atletico's style is not befitting of a big team, the side have found success both on the field and in the transfer market.
Particularly the dealings between Atletico and the Catalan giants of French star Antoine Griezmann, who joined the Nou Camp outfit from Simeone's side back in 2019 for £107 million.
Griezmann never truly lived up to his huge transfer fee and re-joined Atletico in 2021 for £34.4 million meaning Atletico made a profit of £72.6 million on the striker.
The transfers of Griezmann and Malcom are currently under criminal investigation. Several payments were made to family members of the players and lawyers. The investigation tries to clarify the legality of these disbursements, and if they constitute a crime. #FCB [SPORT] https://t.co/FfUiZWlosI
What is even more interesting is that during that period Atletico won the La Liga trophy for the first time since 2014. Simeone's side won many plaudits for the way in which they usurped the usual winners Barca and Real Madrid.
Atletico Madrid's style is often accredited to one that is defensive and not the most attractive to watch, which is in stark contrast to the football that Barca fans expect to see with the side being the pillar of the tiki-taka style of play so familiar with attacking sides.
The heat is on ahead of Sunday's battle and Simeone's comments will certainly stir the pot.