Diego Simeone Praises Barcelona's Dominance Under Hansi Flick
FC Barcelona has begun the season impressively under coach Hansi Flick. This has even impressed Atletico Madrid's coach, Diego Simeone.
The Argentine, usually focused solely on his own team, lauded Barcelona's football in an interview with ESPN.
"It seems like they're playing a different sport than us," Simeone said, describing Flick's squad as "barbaric." The Catalans started the new season with eight consecutive wins in all competitions, setting a club record.
Simeone was particularly taken with the attack featuring Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Anthony Gordon, and Karim Adeyemi. "They didn't have a number nine (after Robert Lewandowski's departure; editor's note) and suddenly Raphinha appears and scores twelve goals in seven games. Yamal has seven goals. These numbers are incredible," he emphasized. He noted that Barca has assembled a team "that presses you into your own half, takes your time. And they aren't afraid to take risks or concede a goal. Based on what they're showing, they are currently the best team in the league."
Barcelona's Points Lead Over Real and Atletico Madrid
After seven league games, Barca has accumulated 21 points. Their goal difference of 31:7 also speaks volumes about the dominance of Flick's team. Real Madrid boasts the second-best offense with a comparatively modest 18 goals. Only Athletic Bilbao, managed by Edin Terzic, has a better defense.
The lead over their closest pursuer is already five points, with that follower being Simeone's Atletico. Since the Rojiblancos won their much-discussed match against Real on Sunday—a game where Jose Mourinho later verbally attacked the referees—Los Blancos now trail Barca by six points.
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