Man City star Rodri hits back at Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simone over Premier League comments

Manchester City midfield enforcer Rodri has hit back at Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone after he suggested that defending is a dying art in English football.

The Argentine, who has been in charge of Atletico since 2011, made the claim following City's pulsating 4-4 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last Sunday. City thought they had scooped all three points courtesy of Rodri's deflected effort in the 86th minute, only for Chelsea to draw level in the fifth minute of injury time, earning a point through former Blues youngster Cole Palmer.

Though, at times, it was a nail-biting encounter for those invested in City or Chelsea, it was a gripping watch for those who were neutrals. The eight-goal thriller meant a total of 37 goals were plundered across the 10 Premier League fixtures last weekend, making it a hugely entertaining gameweek.

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However, though Simeone conceded that 'all games' in England are enjoyable, he implied that everyone has forgotten to defend, suggesting the only focus is on attacking play.

Simeone said: "You see English football now and the matches finish 4-4, 5-3, 6-2, or 5-1, which is fantastic for the fans. Like Chelsea against Manchester City.

"These are all games that are fun to watch, but nobody is defending!"

Rodri, who left Atletico in 2019 to join City, however, has disagreed with his former boss. He believes the Premier League is packed with 'strong defences', citing how teams often set up defensively against City to try and keep them out.

"I disagree a little bit," said Rodri, speaking to Spanish radio network