Three games in eleven days – Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona are set to go head-to-head in the near future. Coach Diego Simeone will have to improvise ahead of the league clash on Saturday evening.
The cholismo is not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. That’s what Atletico’s style of play is called, loosely based on Diego “Cholo” Simeone. The Atletico coach who has been in charge since December 2011.
The coach of perhaps the most technically accomplished team in world soccer is not one of the critics. “It’s always difficult to play against them,” said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick ahead of the festive weeks against the Colchoneros. “They have one of the best coaches in the world. I like what I see.”
The Madrilenians have already proven several times that they can get the better of Flick’s beautiful Catalan players. In December 2024, Atletico won 2-1 in Barcelona, while four months later the clubs drew 4-4 at the same venue in the Spanish Cup. In the current Copa del Rey season, a 4-0 win at home was enough for Atletico to afford a 3-0 defeat in the second leg. Defending champions Barcelona had to drop out of the competition.
“Football is about the players, not the coaches,” said Simeone, deflecting attention away from himself. “Barcelona have been playing in a certain way since their coach arrived, with a high defensive line and an attacking line-up designed to win duels. We’ll continue to try and beat them with our own style of play, which we’ve had for 14 years.”
Five and a half injured and one suspended
The problem, however, is that Atletico go into Saturday’s game with a serious injury problem. Simeone confirmed that neither Rodrigo Mendoza, Pablo Barrios, Jan Oblak, Marc Pubill nor Johnny Cardoso will be fit in time for the league game. In addition, Marcos Llorente is serving a yellow card suspension and Alexander Sörloth has returned from international duty with a head injury. However, the former Leipzig player is likely to be available.
There is an obvious shortage in midfield in particular, with only Koke and Obed Vargas available. But as is usual with Simeone, he is not losing his optimism. “We started pre-season with the hope that we’d be just like we are at the moment. We can keep up until the end, that’s the path we’re on.”
