Few clashes between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in recent times have been as delightfully balanced as Saturday night's. Form team Atletico are coming off eleven straight wins against Barcelona, with both teams sitting at the top of the La Liga table in terms of points. The Catalan giants have just one win in their last six Liga matches and after starting the season in scintillating form they are in a downward spiral.
Ahead of the match, Football España spoke to former Atletico goalkeeper and LaLigaTV analyst Roberto Jimenez to get his thoughts on it.
Question from Football España: Start with the obvious question: what do you think of the game and what kind of game do you see playing?
Roberto Jimenez: I think we are looking at a football gift. Look at how both teams come into this, look at their form, both teams on 38 points and fighting to become leaders in the last game of the year. It will be a fantastic show for the fans, and entertaining too.
I think it will make the game quite defensive for Atletico because they won't be taking so many risks. They know perfectly how to play against Barcelona. Also for Atletico I think they will think that the pressure is on Barcelona. So it may not be the match we expect in terms of rhythm or chances, but as the minutes go by we will see a different kind of match.
FE: So we're more likely to see a more passive approach from Atletico, rather than going for the kill? We have seen many parties go for Barcelona's high line early on.
RJ: I think Barcelona will start the match trying to gain possession, move Atletico players around the pitch and get the fans involved. Atlético will try to do what they usually do: stay calm, try to keep their block in the center of the pitch, not press too high nor stay on the edge of their penalty area. At least, as far as the start of the match is concerned.
FE: You made your Atletico debut the season after Diego Simeone left. Did you come across Simeone as a player coming through at Atletico Madrid? What kind of character was he?
RJ: I had the chance to meet him as a player and as a coach of the team, but it was the season I left for Olympiakos. I thought that was the best thing for me at the time, to try a different place, because Thibaut Courtois was number one at the time, so I didn't see much chance of becoming number one.
From then on we played against each other a lot, at Olympiacos, and when I came back to Spain I had the opportunity to play against Atletico, and we also have mutual friends. He has never been my coach, but you could say we know each other well.
FE: Way back when you played against Atletico Madrid in Simeone's first season when you were at Real Zaragoza, and you saw them up close and personal during their title run in 2021. What shifts have you noticed in Diego Simeone over the last thirteen years?
RJ: I think the key for Simeone, in this glorious and successful period for Atletico, is that he hasn't changed much. From day one he has shown his passion, his mentality towards football, his key factors in building a strong team and a strong club, to the players, the club and the fans. He has tried to get Atletico back on the biggest stages in Europe and I think he has succeeded. I don't think he's changed much, and that for me is the key to the last fourteen years and his time.
FE: Is it difficult for Atletico to be the third force? At Real Madrid and Barcelona you always have to be there as Simeone always says, but is it mentally difficult to find a balance between motivation and ambition?
RJ: When I left Atletico I was playing in a club that was fighting to get between 10th and 5th. When Simeone arrived at the club, he took them step by step to two Champions League finals and Europa Leagues, titles and a lot of very important signings. A huge difference in budget. It's a very different club compared to 15 years ago, and that says a lot about him more than anything.
FE: However, for players it is different to play for Olympiacos, where you have to win every match and every title, right? How does that feel as a player, what influence does it have on you?
RJ: Well, the pressure is different. It is true that Atletico do not yet have the pressure they need to win every season and every title, like Real Madrid, Barcelona, or in my case Olympiakos. As a player, when you are somewhere, everyone expects you to be in a position, but you don't have to win everything. I think this is a positive for Atletico at this point in the season. They go to Barcelona, they can win, they have a chance to win and the quality to do it, but not the obligation. If you don't have that pressure, I think it can make it much easier to participate in these games.
FE: Going back to the dynamics of the game itself, the only major absence is Lamine Yamal. How would you work around it if you were Hansi Flick, and does this change their approach? And what does it do to Simeone's plans?
RJ: I think in La Liga we are very lucky to have players like Lamine – and not just him – in the whole Barcelona squad. Young players with a lot of quality. I think Flick has a lot of options and he doesn't have to worry about Lamine not being there. They can move Raphinha and Lewandowski and try to put more wingers in attack. And it is true that Barcelona's system with Flick this season is not the best news for Atletico Madrid. I think they expect a Barcelona that is more focused on possession, but this Barcelona is more direct and I'm not sure if this suits the type of team Atlético is and the defense they have to do.
I think directness could be one of the keys to the game. If Barcelona wins, I imagine that's one of the reasons.
FE: We have seen Barcelona's record in big matches this season (Hansi Flick then mentioned this in his press conference). Does it suit them better to play against teams that have more emphasis on attacking? Likewise, Atletico are not your typical big side in terms of approach.
These types of clubs have to follow their mentality every match. You can't change your mentality every match, you can't go from thinking like Atletico to thinking like Real Valladolid, with all due respect. So you have to keep the same mentality from start to finish because people expect you to play a certain way. And the fans expect that too.
FE: Enjoy the game, thank you very much for your time!
RJ: Enjoy it too, thank you!
Atletico Madrid travel to Barcelona to play the Blaugrana at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys at 9pm CEST.
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