Filipe Luis has reflected on the ‘great injustice’ of Barcelona and Real Madrid’s dominance of La Liga and on Diego Costa’s decision between Spain and Brazil.
Barca and Madrid have occupied the top two positions in the League table in each of the last few seasons and continue to break points, wins and goals records.
Debate has focused on their greater share of television revenue as presenting an unfair advantage, whilst Diego Simeone wrote Atletico Madrid out of the title race as early as Week 1.
El Cholo can count on support in this argument from his Brazilian full-back.
“We are talking about two teams that no-one can compare to,” Filipe has told AS today.
“It is a tremendous injustice that the League is so unbalanced. That Barca and Madrid have budgets that are so immensely greater increases doubts that this is the best League in the world.
“It is more interesting lower down in the table than it is in the fight for the title.
“We have to try to fight with our weapons. We, with much work and humility, have barely reached them.
“From humility we have achieved many things, but to fight them is very complicated.”
Even so, the full-back is positive of his team’s growth.
“The team is in a great moment. The fact that most of the team is the same as three years ago helps. Almost all the other teams have been dismantled and lost many players and we have not.
“We have maintained our core. Falcao was the great reference for last season but now we have David Villa, who will give us a lot.
“The team is playing the same way as two years ago. We have had many training sessions and years together. It shows that we are familiar and that we have not changed much from year to year.”
Filipe’s teammate Koke Resurreccion has been tested in training with Spain this week at right-back.
“With Koke nothing surprises me. Calmly, he has played in every game at 100 per cent. He plays here in central midfield, on the wing…and if he plays at full-back then he will probably do that well. He is a player that improves the group, that all Coaches would want to have.”
Filipe was asked of the prospective choice his teammate Diego Costa may have between representing his native Brazil at international level, or opting for Spain, where he has recently achieved citizenship.
“Diego Costa is in a great moment. It is a very difficult decision to have to make. It’s complicated. It is a privilege that he has to choose between the two best teams in the world.
“He will have to leave it down to his heart and he will decide. Hardly anyone has his opportunity. If he goes with Spain then Brazil will lose a great striker.”
