Argentine Diego Simeone, the head coach of Atlético Madrid, spoke about the La Liga showdown between his team and their hosts, Barcelona.

Simeone said: "We are playing better and have become stronger defensively, but today we need to be more precise because we are facing exceptional individual talents. We also have to try to control the match in all aspects, not just defensively."

He continued: "There is no doubt about the quality of the opposing team. We know our strengths well, and we will try to manage the match in a way that makes things difficult for them."

He continued: "This lineup is the best to face our opponent at the start of the match. Of course, we evaluate the team's performance over the course of 90 or 95 minutes, and we will start with the players you saw on the team list."