Simeone rejects the rumors on Atletico Madrid holding talks with Messi

According to manager

Diego Simeone

, Rojiblancos did not talk with

Lionel Messi

about the prospect of reconnecting him with Luis Suarez at the club. 

After a heartbroken Messi announced his departure from Barcelona last week due to financial issues, the six-time Ballon d'Or victor penned a two-year contract with

's Paris Saint-Germain on Monday. 

With former Barcelona teammate Neymar Jr. and France's Kylian Mbappe, Messi is set to create a terrifying trio in the front line.

There has been rumors of him joining Atletico Madrid, along with another former member of Barcelona's famed MSN attacking line. 

Simeone, on the other hand, denied that the club and the Argentina international had communicated. 

Simeone said in a press conference before Atletico's

opener against Celta Vigo:

"[Messi] is a really important departure for La Liga and for Barcelona.

"We weren't talking with him. We didn't have the slightest chance."

On the impact of Messi's exodus on La Liga, Simeone continued:

"I understand that not even the

has Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo, and it's a very competitive league.

"It will depend on the growth of all the teams to be able to make a competitive league without having either of [those players], as England have done."

Messi's exit appears to be a big boost to Atletico's chances of retaining the Primera Division by fighting off both Barcelona and Real Madrid once more. 

Simeone, on the other hand, seemed uninterested in thoughts of Atletico being championship favorites.

"We will not change our path, which is game by game, to understand what the league is like," he said. 

"There is no better way to compete than how we have been doing so in the last nine and a half years."

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