Messi scored his 600th career goal on Sunday evening.
It was his 600th career goal and marked a major moment in the Blaugrana’s bid to win La Liga.
Simeone claimed the Camp Nou result would have been reversed had Messi been on his side.
Advertisement
“Messi is a special player, he made the difference,” the Atleti boss told reporters.
“If we take Messi and put him in an Atletico shirt, we win this match 1-0.
“It was an even match. I don’t think we lacked application in the first half. However, we did not see our best until the second half.”
Quality Sport Images
Quality Sport Images
Despite being dealt just a second defeat in their 27 league games this term, the Rojiblancos now have only a remote chance of claiming what would be a second title triumph in five seasons.
Simeone was pragmatic about his club’s hopes of regularly upsetting the Barca-Real Madrid stronghold.
“We have no doubt that we can get closer to our objectives,” he said.
“What we cannot do is distance ourselves from the numerical reality that Barcelona and Real Madrid have been dominating for 14 years.
“We did the impossible [in 2013-14] and it is hard to repeat that.”
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
3 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Simeone: 'If we take Messi and put him in an Atletico shirt, we win'
DIEGO SIMEONE PRAISED Lionel Messi’s star quality and admitted the difficulties of repeating Atletico Madrid’s “impossible” title win of 2013-14.
Messi guided in a superb first-half free-kick to secure a 1-0 victory over Barcelona’s nearest title rivals on Sunday, moving the league leaders eight points clear at the top.
It was his 600th career goal and marked a major moment in the Blaugrana’s bid to win La Liga.
Simeone claimed the Camp Nou result would have been reversed had Messi been on his side.
“Messi is a special player, he made the difference,” the Atleti boss told reporters.
“If we take Messi and put him in an Atletico shirt, we win this match 1-0.
“It was an even match. I don’t think we lacked application in the first half. However, we did not see our best until the second half.”
Despite being dealt just a second defeat in their 27 league games this term, the Rojiblancos now have only a remote chance of claiming what would be a second title triumph in five seasons.
Simeone was pragmatic about his club’s hopes of regularly upsetting the Barca-Real Madrid stronghold.
“We have no doubt that we can get closer to our objectives,” he said.
“What we cannot do is distance ourselves from the numerical reality that Barcelona and Real Madrid have been dominating for 14 years.
“We did the impossible [in 2013-14] and it is hard to repeat that.”
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Messi’s 600th career goal opens up eight-point gap at the top of La Liga for Barca
Old Firm primed for Scottish Cup as Celtic and Rangers drawn together in semi-final
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Atletico Madrid Barcelona Cholismo La Liga diego simeone Football Goat Lionel Messi