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:
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:
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.
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.
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.
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