Barcelona's flying start to the season has drawn praise from an unlikely source. Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has called the Catalan side "the best", an assessment that captures the level Hansi Flick's men have shown through the opening weeks.
Asked about Barcelona's form in an interview with "ESPN", Simeone did not hold back: "They are the best." The verdict carries weight from a coach who has spent years pitting his wits against them in domestic competitions and the UEFA Champions League.
"Barcelona play wonderful football, and they seem to be playing at a completely different level from the rest of the teams," Simeone said. "In fact, they did not have an out-and-out number 9 striker, then Raphinha appeared and scored 12 goals in 7 matches, while Lamine Yamal, I believe, has scored 7 goals."
He added: "The numbers are astonishing, and the team presses its opponents on their own grounds and denies them time and space. Barcelona are not afraid to take risks or concede a goal, because they seem all the more superior the more they impose their style, and that is why I see them as the best team at the moment."
Few know the difficulty of facing Barcelona better. Simeone has come up against the Catalans countless times with Atletico Madrid, and he has pulled off notable results against them on more than one occasion.
Those two sides met in official competition until recently, which lends the Argentine's words extra authority.
The praise lands with Barcelona sitting top of the table on 21 points. Flick's men have imposed their style and racked up results since the campaign kicked off.
Maintaining that rhythm over the coming months is the real test. A congested fixture list and increasingly fierce competition for the titles lie ahead. The strong start breeds confidence, but consistency and the nerve to handle decisive matches will decide how their season ends.