Atlético Madrid return from the international break with some key injury concerns, but do so seeking to maintain the team’s best run of form since January amid a short trip to play Getafe.
On managing his
squad and players without many minutes, coach Diego Simeone explained “we always try to talk to them” before adding “I always say it and I’ll say it again, it’s very difficult to convince them that they’re fine when another teammate is playing.
“There’s the normal selfishness that comes up when you’re not starting, but there’s also the responsibility of knowing that we need everything, that we need to compete as a team. And to compete as a team, we need to be strong from the outside in,” Simeone said.
Diego Simeone on injury updates
“Well, in principle, (Jan) Oblak won’t be playing tomorrow, Giuliano will be in the squad and we’ll see how he progresses, which has been very good today. And ahead of tomorrow we’ll decide whether he starts or waits.”
Diego Simeone on the last visit to Getafe
“No, the truth is that we’re not dwelling on last season’s match. We’re looking at Getafe’s current form and ours. Getafe continues to evolve year after year. They’re adding many more offensive elements than they had a few years ago. That means we’re going to have a tough, difficult and obviously competitive opponent in Getafe.”
Diego Simeone on Getafe coach José Bordálas
“I have a lot of respect for Bordalás. All the work he has done in all the years he has been there, having left and then returned to Getafe. He’s managed to generate a commitment and, above all, a playing identity for his team, where we all know what kind of match we are going to see when Getafe plays, and the continuous evolution he has achieved. It’s not just the same Getafe as years ago, but a Getafe that continues to evolve, and that is thanks to its manager.”
Diego Simeone on struggling to replace Koke
“We’ve talked about Koke quite a few times, I think. We continue to express our gratitude for his work, dedication and commitment to the club. And, obviously, he continues to contribute significantly to the team’s current situation. To be honest, I’m not going to speculate on whether there is anyone who can achieve that because that would be pure imagination. And, to be honest, I’m not thinking about that.”
Diego Simeone on the international break
“Tomorrow we’re going to try to compete in whatever way the match demands. We understand that, except for Oblak and Giuliano, who, I repeat, did quite well in the morning session today, everyone is in good shape. We’re taking it game by game, as we’ve always done, and looking for the best for each individual match.”
Diego Simeone on Johnny Cardoso
“The truth is that he had an injury that kept him out of competition for quite some time, preventing him from earning a place. Now, when he was training last week, when he did very well, he had a fever that kept him away from training again. Today he came back, he came back with intensity, with good work in training. So we need everyone. We have a lot of matches, and obviously they are all very important.”
Diego Simeone on the change of ownership
“It’s absolute growth for Atlético Madrid. It’s a huge joy to have been able to participate in all this growth with a lot of people who made possible the tremendous growth that the club is experiencing every day. This can’t stop. On the contrary, it will demand more of us, and in that demand, we obviously need to take on responsibilities and try to continue growing just as the club is.”
