Simeone admits it's 'impossible' to stop Messi

03 mar 2018

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said there is "no strategy" you can use to stop Barcelona star Lionel Messi, although insisted his own in-form attackers Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa can also make an impression in Sunday afternoon's top-of-the-table La Liga clash at Camp Nou.

Simeone told a prematch news conference that one could not design a plan to stop his fellow Argentine, however his side would look to control the game in a way that limited Messi's influence.

"[Messi] is extraordinary form," Simeone said. "There are no strategies which can control something which is impossible. Many things can happen during a game. We will need to bring the game to where we believe we can do them damage."

Asked whether his team were now realistic challengers for the title, Simeone recalled that very few teams have been able to finish ahead of Barca and Real Madrid in recent years, although his side had managed it when they won the 2013-14 title.

"It is not impossible to win La Liga, although in the last 14 years only Villarreal have been second, and we have won it," he said. "It is not impossible, as we did it, but it is very difficult. We want to reach the last five games of the season with a chance. If we can do that, we will have our possibilities."