Simeone: Barça were too good

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said
Barcelona were deserved winners after a
dominant first half at Camp Nou on Sunday.


Defending La Liga champions Atletico dropped
four points behind leaders and bitter rivals Real
Madrid as Barca ran out 3-1 winners.


A week of turmoil was not enough to derail
Barca, who raced out to a two-goal lead before
half-time thanks to Neymar and Luis Suarez.


Atletico striker Mario Mandzukic reduced the
deficit from the penalty spot 12 minutes into the
second half before Lionel Messi restored Barca's
two-goal advantage three minutes from time.


Simeone praised Barca for their ability to nullify
Atletico's threat on the counter-attack.


"Barcelona had a great ability in the first half,"
Simeone said afterwards. "Good through game, a
lot of speed, great intensity, they recovered the
ball quickly when they lost it and wouldn't let us
go on the counter.


"The rival, which is a very great team, had the
ability."


After skewing a ninth-minute shot wide of the
post, Messi set up Neymar for the opening goal of
the match three minutes later.


Barca continued to dominate the first-half
exchanges, though Atletico goalkeeper Miguel
Moya was on hand to thwart the hosts.


A stroke of fortune, which saw Messi escape
unpunished for an apparent handball, helped
Barca extend their lead in the 35th minute, with
Suarez netting his second league goal.


Atletico attempted a comeback 12 minutes after
the break, Croatia international Mandzukic
converting a penalty following a foul on Jesus
Gamez.


But the visitors' hopes were dashed with three
minutes remaining as Messi converted a cross
from Ivan Rakitic.


"It seems there weren’t many chances to score.
There weren’t for either, but they were more
decisive," said the Argentinean boss.


"In the first and third goal they have many
rebounds in favour and they end working out
very well. The truth is that the first half was hard
for us except for the start, in the first two plays,
in which the midfielders and the forwards could
play with short passes towards the front.


"In the second half we got in the game. We came
close to a draw but the play of the third goal
closed the match."