Madrid, Spain — Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone maintains that Barcelona remains the best team in La Liga, despite the fierce competition at the top of the table.
Speaking after Atletico’s 1-1 draw against Real Madrid in Saturday’s Madrid derby, Simeone praised Barcelona’s attacking prowess and team cohesion, stating that their speed and efficiency set them apart in the league.
“I still insist that Barcelona is the best team in La Liga,” he said. “They attack well, have incredible speed, and function excellently as a unit. Let’s see if they win tomorrow, it’ll be interesting to watch how the title race unfolds.”
The derby saw Atletico take the lead through Julian Alvarez, who converted a controversial penalty awarded after a VAR review found Aurelien Tchouameni had fouled Samuel Lino. Alvarez’s audacious chip silenced the Bernabeu crowd, but Kylian Mbappe struck early in the second half to level the score, capitalizing on a blocked Jude Bellingham shot.
Real Madrid pressed for a winner, with Bellingham coming close on multiple occasions, but hitting the crossbar with a header and forcing a crucial save from Jan Oblak. However, the match ended in a stalemate, leaving Madrid just one point ahead of Atletico and five ahead of Barcelona, who had the chance to close the gap with a win against Sevilla.
Reflecting on his team’s performance, Simeone noted Atletico’s strong start but admitted their lack of clinical finishing proved costly.
“We played very well in the first half but weren’t decisive enough in the final third,” he said. “After their equalizer, Madrid pushed harder, but we had important chances with Julian, Llorente twice. In the end, it was a match where both teams probably felt they could have won.”
The La Liga title race remains wide open, with Barcelona, Atletico, and Real Madrid all in contention as the season progresses.
By Taiwo Olatinwo| February 9, 2025
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