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Simeone: I knew what Suarez would bring to Atletico Madrid after my first phone call with him

Diego Simeone says Luis Suarez has performed exactly as he expected from his first phone call with him.

The Atletico Madrid striker is La Liga’s joint-second top scorer this season, tied with his former team-mate Lionel Messi on 11 goals. Only Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri has more, though both players have played more games than Suarez.

Barcelona’s loss has been Atletico’s gain since his acrimonious departure from Camp Nou, with Suarez’s goals spearheading their title charge.

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Atletico go into Sunday’s game with Valencia four points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, with Simeone’s side also holding two games in hand over their city rivals.