Atletico boss Diego Simeone reacts after draw against Barcelona

Simeone said it was a "hard and complex" game and they had ups and downs during the clash.

Barcelona: Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone on Tuesday heaped praises on his boys after they held Barcelona for a 2-2 draw, saying that they "played well against a great team".

"They were on the ball and played in our half of the pitch, but every time we counter-attacked, we were dangerous... In the end, we drew a tough match. We played well against a great team," Simeone said in a video posted by the club's official Twitter handle.

The match started at a furious pace with Barcelona taking a 1-0 lead after Diego Costa scored an own goal in the 11th minute. However, the lead only lasted eight minutes as Saul Niguez successfully converted a penalty to level the scores.

The second half barely began and Barcelona was awarded a penalty. Lionel Messi took the charge and made no mistake to put Barcelona ahead of Atletico Madrid.

Leo Messi

However, Atletico Madrid again scored an equalizer and it came from the third penalty of the match. Niguez took the second penalty and brought the scoreline to 2-2 in the 62nd minute.

Simeone said it was a "hard and complex" game and they had ups and downs during the clash.

"It was a hard and complex game like it always is against Barcelona. We had ups and downs," he said.

Meanwhile, Barcelona manager Quique Setien expressed concerns saying that they are "moving further away from the title".

Quique Setien

Barcelona witnessing a draw means they failed to pip table-toppers Real Madrid, who are one point ahead of the Setien-led side.

"It's not easy against this team. They're disciplined. I'm quite happy with my players' work," Setien was quoted as saying.

"I don't feel at all under threat. It's a shame. We're having more and more difficulties. Leaving these points behind means we're moving further away from the title. But we have to keep working and Atletico are a good team," he added.