Xavi vs Simeone: War of words in the build-up to Barcelona vs Atletico
Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid is the pick of the weekend’s LaLiga Santander fixtures and it’ll be an especially interesting clash of styles, as Xavi takes on Diego Simeone for the first time as a coach. While the Catalan played against Simeone’s Atleti 10 times, this will be his first chance to face the Argentine in the dugout and his first chance to live up to comments he made in 2016.
Back then, when Xavi had left Barcelona and was playing in Qatar, the midfielder stated on Jorge Valdano’s ‘Universo Valdano’ show that he didn’t think big clubs should play the kind of style employed by Atlético Madrid at the time. Even though that style had taken Los Rojiblancos to a league title and two Champions League finals, Xavi stated that there was more to football than just results when at a top club.
I don’t like to watch teams that sit back, that’s not the style a big club should have.
- PERSON Xavi on Atlético in 2016
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On Saturday, in the pre-match press conferences ahead of Sunday’s Barça vs Atleti match, Simeone brought that comment up of his own accord. “I remember Xavi saying in 2016 on 'Universo Valdano' that Atlético Madrid's style of football wasn't a style for big teams,” Simeone started. "Now he will have the opportunity, with all these new players arriving, to put out the team he wants and imagines. He can play the style of football he has known at Barcelona since coming out the crib.”
🎙| Cholo Simeone: "Back in 2016, I remember Xavi said that the football of Atletico isn't a style of football that big teams play..." pic.twitter.com/j6xK7RT474
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) February 5, 2022
Xavi doubled down on his 2016 comments
In Xavi’s own Saturday press conference, he was informed of Simeone’s statement and asked if he still believes what he said back in 2016 about Atleti’s style not befitting a big club.
"It wouldn't be Barça's style," he said. "People wouldn't understand if we played like Atlético Madrid. I'm not saying it doesn't have merit or that they aren't competitive, as they have won trophies, but it isn't our idea of how football should be played.”
On Sunday, when the ball gets rolling at 16:15 CET, these two unique styles will go head to head.
