Claudio Bravo insisted Atletico Madrid were still “difficult” opponents for Barcelona, despite Los Colchoneros having finished the game with nine men.
Filipe Luis and Diego Godin both saw red for professional fouls as goals from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez cancelled out Koke’s opener in a 2-0 win fo La Blaugrana, and the goalkeeper praised Atleti for keeping the scoreline to a minimum.
“It was a tough game,” he said after the game.
“We know the clarity they play with. Atleti are very strong, so it was nothing new for us in that regard.
“We knew how we had to play, and I’m happy for the three points.
“We needed to make distance with our opponents in the table.
“We expected [Atleti piling on the pressure] because they have players with that capability.
“It’s for the best that we took the game forward.
“We’re doing well in three competitions but the focus is each day.
“We have to win these games, even when they don’t go our way.
“We failed to score a third goal, which would’ve given us peace of mind.
“They moved well and made it difficult for us, but we managed to strike a blow on the table.”
