"It seems as if they are playing a different sport from us": Diego Simeone hails Barca and Hansi Flick

Barcelona have made a sensational start to the season under coach Hansi Flick. That has even left Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone purring.

The Argentine, usually consumed by his own side, showered Barca's football with praise in an interview with ESPN.

"It seems as if they are playing a different sport from us," Simeone said, describing Flick's team as "barbaric". The Catalans have opened the new season with eight straight competitive wins, a new club record.

What has impressed Simeone most is the attack featuring Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi. "They did not have a number nine (after the departure of Robert Lewandowski; editor's note) and suddenly Raphinha pops up and scores 12 goals in seven games. Yamal has seven goals. These numbers are incredible," he stressed. Barca have built a team "that press you into your own half, take your time away. And they are not afraid to take risks and concede a goal now and then. At the moment they are better, based on what they are showing, the best team in the league."

How many points are Barca already ahead of Real and Atletico Madrid?

Seven league games in, Barca are not just on 21 points. Their goal difference of 31:7 underlines the dominance of Flick's team. Real Madrid have the second-best attack with a comparatively modest 18 goals. Only Athletic Bilbao under coach Edin Terzic have a better defence.

That gap to the nearest challenger is already five points, and it is Simeone's Atletico. Since the Rojiblancos won the much-discussed clash with Real on Sunday, Jose Mourinho then launched a verbal attack on the refereeing team, Los Blancos are already six points behind Barca.