‘The best’ – Diego Simeone in fresh praise of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona

FILE PHOTO (EDITORS NOTE: COMPOSITE OF IMAGES - Image numbers 2175291793,1614797612) In this composite image a comparison has been made between Hansi Flick, Head Coach of FC Barcelona (L) and Diego Simeone, Head Coach of Atletico Madrid. Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid meet in a La Liga match at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on December 21,2024 in Barcelona, Spain. ***LEFT IMAGE*** PAMPLONA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 28: Hansi Flick, Head Coach of FC Barcelona, looks on prior to the LaLiga match between CA Osasuna and FC Barcelona at Estadio El Sadar on September 28, 2024 in Pamplona, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) ***RIGHT IMAGE*** MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 14: Diego Simeone, Head Coach of Atletico Madrid, looks on prior to the LaLiga EA Sports match between Atletico Madrid and Granada CF at Civitas Metropolitano Stadium on August 14, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

February 14, 2025

Atlético Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has on Friday again moved to reveal his appreciation for La Liga rivals Barcelona.

Atlético, of course, were this week made aware of a fresh pair of upcoming meetings with Hansi Flick’s Barca.

This comes after the clubs were pitted against one another in the semi-finals of this season’s Copa del Rey.

The aforementioned Simeone, for his part, has not been shy in admitting his admiration for the new-look Blaugrana to this point in the campaign, a huge fan of Hansi Flick’s side.

And as alluded to above, earlier today, the Argentine moved to reiterate as much once more.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of Atléti’s La Liga meeting with Celta Vigo on Saturday, Simeone had the following to say when drawn on Barcelona:

“A rival that, as I said, I think is the one that plays the best in La Liga. Their numbers speak for themselves about what
Barcelona is doing.”

Conor Laird – GSFN