Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has revealed his admiration for Raphinha ahead of Tuesday’s meeting with Barcelona in La Liga.
Raphinha is back from injury and expected to start against Simeone’s side, with the Atletico boss wary of the threat offered by Barca’s fit-again stars.
“I like how they play, I love Raphinha, his movement, his runs, his teamwork. Pedri came in very well, and the absence of those players at the start of the season weighs on the team, despite having great players. But they are game-changers, and game-changers make the difference,” he told reporters.
Atletico head into the match on the back of six straight league wins, but Simeone isn’t getting carried away by his team’s form.
“I don’t dwell on these situations. Football is always about the present, the next match, the moment you face whoever you face. It’s about the responsibility to do well. We need to improve, maintain consistency, which is the hardest thing in this tough tournament with its ups and downs,” he added.
“The team is competing well. Seven different players came on Wednesday, and there was a very good start: the team was aggressive, intense, looked for the goal, and could have had an even bigger lead given the chances they created. That’s the way forward.
“I don’t think as much as you do. We won a match we had to win, and now comes a very tough one, a difficult one, against an opponent we know very well and who has enormous potential, even more so with the return of Pedri and Raphinha. We’ll face a very tough opponent.”
Just three points separate the two teams ahead of kick-off, although Barca can stretch that to six with a win.
