Simeone on playing styles: Barca, Juve & Atletico all have one but Madrid do not

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has suggested that cross-city rivals Real Madrid have no defined ideology or style of play.

The Argentine was speaking of the history of Europe’s top clubs and believes Atleti have a ‘defined style’, while also listing Juventus, Barcelona and Ajax in that list, before rejecting the idea that Madrid also do.

“When a Coach arrives at a club, we need to understand their history. If we don't understand it, we are destined to have a worse time than better,” Simeone explained in an interview with La Nacion, as cited by Marca.

“If I don't feel that essence, I don't go. From the moment I agree to go, the healthiest and most noble thing of the coach is to ask: “What is the history of this club?” And to mould your style of play to the history of that club, while still being you, of course.

“Ajax has a defined school, Barcelona has it, Juventus too, and Atletico Madrid, too, but Real Madrid do not, because it alternates based on talent their different ways of presenting themselves.

“There are teams that are being born, such as [Manchester] City of Guardiola, who has no history, but he is slowly enclosing himself in what Guardiola is marking as his path.”