According to a report by Barca Universal on Monday November 9, 2026, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has admitted that Barcelona deserved their 2-1 victory at the Metropolitano, identifying their superior finishing as the biggest difference between the two teams.

Barcelona secured an important away victory over Atletico Madrid in Sunday's La Liga encounter, with Hansi Flick's men showing greater composure in front of goal to claim all three points.

Despite the disappointing result, Simeone refused to criticise his players, insisting that Atletico delivered an impressive performance and followed their tactical plan for significant periods of the match.

The Argentine manager explained that his team managed to put Barcelona under pressure in areas where they were uncomfortable, but their inability to convert promising opportunities ultimately proved costly.

"I'll take away an extraordinary performance from the players; I have no complaints. We put the opposition under pressure in an area where they weren't comfortable," Simeone said.

He added that Atletico lacked the cutting edge they had demonstrated in previous matches, while Barcelona took advantage of the opportunities that came their way.

Simeone was also asked whether Barcelona deserved to win the encounter, and he had no hesitation in acknowledging that the Catalan giants were worthy winners.

"Yes, it's fair because they scored two goals and we scored one," he responded.

His admission underlined the importance of Barcelona's attacking efficiency, particularly against an Atletico side that made life difficult for them throughout the contest.

Simeone also suggested that the result was not necessarily determined by physical fitness, pointing instead to the influence of substitutes and the different phases of the game.

According to the Atletico manager, his team enjoyed approximately 50 good minutes before Barcelona took control and became more decisive.

"Against a strong side, matches have their phases; we had 50 good minutes, which were our time, and then came the opposition's time, when they were more decisive than us," he explained.

The Atletico boss also discussed the impact of his substitutions, admitting that he always expects players coming off the bench to make a significant contribution.

However, he acknowledged that the quality of the opposition and the circumstances of a match can sometimes make it difficult for substitutes to influence proceedings.

Another player who received special attention from Simeone was Julian Alvarez.

Although the Argentine forward failed to get on the scoresheet, his manager was satisfied with his overall contribution and highlighted his involvement in several dangerous attacking situations.

Alvarez provided the assist for Giuliano Simeone and also had an opportunity to score in the second half when he attempted to chip the Barcelona goalkeeper.

He additionally created an opportunity with a cross for Alex Baena, but Atletico were unable to take advantage of the situation.

Simeone insisted that Alvarez remains an important figure in his plans and believes the forward will be crucial if Atletico are to achieve their objectives this season.

"We all wish that goal had gone in, but we'll wait for him; we need him because if we want to get where we want to go, we need him – otherwise we won't get there," he concluded.

For Barcelona, the victory represents another important result under Flick as they continue their push for the La Liga title.

The Catalan side demonstrated their ability to handle a difficult away fixture against one of Spain's strongest teams, with their clinical finishing proving decisive.