Atletico Madrid boss
Diego Simeone has insisted that he is calm despite the side’s disappointing 0-0
draw away at rivals Barcelona.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid knew victory could fire them
towards the La Liga title but Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Camp Nou handed Real
Madrid the chance to go top.

Four wins from their last four games will now be enough for
Zinedine Zidane’s side to retain their La Liga crown, with a crunch game at
home to fourth-placed Sevilla up first on Sunday.

 “We came to Barcelona
to play as a team. We attacked and managed the game after recovering the ball,
with a great first half and in the second half, we were even better,” he told a
post-match interview with Marca.

 “The team will keep
on working as there is not much time until out next game. Tomorrow we will rest
and on Monday we prepare for the game against Real Sociedad, and we will take
it like that, game by game.

 “Real Madrid will
compete as they have always done, and Sevilla can join the race tomorrow if
they win.”

The first part of a blockbuster weekend in the Spanish title
race pitched first against third but neither could take a decisive step
forward, despite the best attempts of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, who faced
each other for the first time since Suarez departed last summer.

A point each leaves Atletico three points clear of Real
Madrid, who have a game in hand and also the superior head-to-head over both
Atleti and Barcelona.

Barca remain two points off the top but their chances took the biggest hit, given they now need both Atletico and Real Madrid to slip up in the final stretch.

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Anything can still happen because of what we’ve seen so
far,” said Gerard Pique. “If Madrid wins their four games they will
be champions, but it is difficult for the big teams to be consistent. If we win
all our three games, I think we’ll have a chance.”

Atletico will be disappointed too, given they spurned a
number of chances in during a dominant first half, before Ronald Koeman’s side
recovered in the second.

Jan Oblak had to deny Messi after a vintage run forward from
the Argentine, who then had a well-placed free-kick in the last minute, only
for Atletico to watch the ball spin inches wide.

“We started better and they finished a little
better,” Oblak said. “Real Madrid has four games left but for sure
they are going to be tought games. We have to keep going.”

Diego Simeone said on Friday Suarez had been
“vindicated” since being forced to leave Barcelona, his 19 goals
making him top scorer for the team.

Koeman admitted it would be “strange” for
everyone, including Messi, who sent a heartfelt open letter to his former
team-mate, neighbour and best friend last year.

Suarez ‘always
welcome’

The pair shared a few words in the centre circle before
kick-off after the Camp Nou stadium announcer had already beamed that Suarez
“will always be welcome”.

But, in truth, the Uruguayan was not at his ruthless best as
a handful of openings went unconverted in a contest full of chances but that
lacked precision when it mattered most.

Messi was repeatedly knocked over in the opening few minutes
before Gerard Pique went through the back of Suarez, both teams scrapping for
control.

Atletico slowly took charge, helped by the departure of
Sergio Busquets, who was replaced by Ilaix Moriba after a clash of heads that
meant he had to be taken to hospital for tests.

Without Busquets, Barcelona were rudderless for a while and
the Atletico chances came thick and fast.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to palm away Marcos Llorente’s
shot and then stick out a foot to deny Suarez from the angle.

Suarez then tried to nod in the rebound after a winding run
from Yannick Carrasco before claiming a penalty after feeling a flick of Ter
Stegen’s hand across his head.

Barcelona were rattled, the usually steady Ter Stegen
booting one ball straight into the stands, only for Messi to give Atletico a
reality check, his driving run past six chasers opening the space for a shot,
but Oblak tipped it wide.

Felipe fired over from a well-worked Atleti short corner
before half-time but Barca were better after the break, with both Ilaix and
Pique going close shortly after the hour.

Both coaches made changes, hoping to inspire a winner.
Ousmane Dembele was one of them and he should have grabbed it with six minutes
left but headed over from six yards in perhaps the best chance of the game.

Messi could have won it at the end, standing over the ball
with a free-kick placed centrally and 25 yards out. Atletico held their breath,
the ball whistling just wide of Oblak’s post.