Diego Simeone blocks Vietto's Barça move
Diego Simeone has much to do if he's to avoid Luciano Vietto making a move from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona, a team the Argentinian coach considers as "a direct rival".
Despite being a player admired by Lionel Messi, who has an excellent relationship with the striker since joining Villarreal in 2014, Vietto's future appears to point towards Sevilla - either as part of a deal for Kevin Gameiro or an independent transfer.
Either way, it gives ammunition to the perception that Simeone doesn't want to see Barça strengthen their squad, at any cost, this summer.
"If [Vietto] joins Sevilla we're left looking foolish, but if he joins Barça... what can we say?" a source close to Atletico's dressing room argued, where the general belief is that negotiations with Los Nervionenses are the only option.
Although the Blaugrana are keeping their options open, the hierarchy at the Estadio Vicente Calderon believe a move to Andalusia is more appropriate for Vietto, given he'll enjoy more game time with Sevilla compared to Barça and wouldn't become a fringe player under Simeone if he remained in the Spanish capital.
