<p>The Argentine manager has become one of Flick’s biggest nightmares in knockout competitions. However, the situation is very different when it comes to league matches played at the Metropolitano Stadium. Atlético Madrid will look to defeat Barcelona at home this Sunday and move to the top of the Spanish Championship.</p>
An authentic LaLiga showdown is approaching between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona. A victory would propel the Colchoneros to the top of the league standings. This clash comes after a series of encounters between Hansi Flick and Diego Pablo Simeone, in which the German manager has had the upper hand in league competition. El Cholo now faces a challenge he must overcome if his team is to remain in the title race heading into May 2027.
The statistics are clear. Diego Pablo Simeone and Hansi Flick have faced each other 12 times so far. The German has recorded seven victories compared to three for El Cholo, with only two draws across their UEFA Champions League, LaLiga and Copa del Rey encounters. Interestingly, whenever the two teams have met in a knockout situation, Atlético Madrid have almost always come out on top.
Last season, Atlético Madrid eliminated Barcelona from both the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey. These were among the most disappointing moments of Hansi Flick’s latest campaign and another example of just how competitive Diego Pablo Simeone’s team can be in do-or-die situations. The picture is very different when it comes to league competitions.
Since the German manager arrived at Catalonia, Atlético Madrid has not managed to defeat Barcelona at home. Their only victory came on Matchday 18 of the 2024-25 LaLiga season, when they won 2-1 away at Montjuïc. Since then, they have suffered three defeats, including two at the Metropolitano Stadium that they cannot afford to repeat this Sunday.
The first defeat came on Matchday 28 of Flick’s debut season in charge, when Barcelona defeated Atlético Madrid 4-2. Last season, on Matchday 30, the Catalans once again came out on top, securing a 2-1 victory over the team that would eventually go on to retain the league title. Simeone desperately needs all three points to return to the summit of LaLiga, a position his side has not occupied for several years.
El Cholo’s overall home record against Hansi Flick includes just one victory. It came in last year's Copa del Rey semifinals, when Atlético Madrid secured a 4-0 win to book their place in the final at La Cartuja. Beyond that result, and even considering the two matches they played when Hansi Flick was managing Bayern Munich, Diego Pablo Simeone has not managed to defeat Barcelona's current coach at home again. There is much more than three points at stake at the Metropolitano this Sunday.