Atlético de Madrid coach Diego Simeone refused to dwell on transfer speculation surrounding Julián Alvarez, with his focus on Saturday’s trip to face Sevilla.
“Well, I understand that all, or most, of your questions are going to revolve around what’s happening with Julián,” Simeone said to kick off the presser. “I think the club was very firm and very clear in everything they explained and everything that’s going to happen.
“I remain in the same position, hoping, from a sporting standpoint, to help
him in the best way possible so he can continue to be the incredibly important player he is for us, and to focus on my own responsibilities,” Simeone said.
Simeone instead turned the focus on the game this weekend.
“I understand that this is Sevilla, and obviously, Julián won’t be there tomorrow,” the coach said. “We, of course, have to face an opponent coming off two wins, who will be very confident going into tomorrow’s match, and we’ll have to steer the game in a direction where we think we can hurt them.”
Diego Simeone on the absences of Sørloth and Julián
“Honestly, I think Alex’s absence obviously hurts us because he’s incredibly important to us, and given the situation we’re going through with Julián, it has an even greater impact. You can obviously see that in the team. The team is trying, through collective effort, to find solutions that will put us in a position to win games and create scoring opportunities. We’re working with them to help them understand what’s happening to us and that, obviously, we’re going to improve this collectively.”
Simeone on the profile of forward he wants
“Julián Alvarez and Sørloth.”
Simeone on whether there’s an impact on the team’s morale
“Honestly, no. I think the guys have been working very well since they returned, especially the World Cup players, and the team played well against both Málaga and Villarreal, staying focused on what we want: for them to play a good game tomorrow. The truth is, I don’t see morale as an issue.”
Simeone on Sevilla
“We’re looking at the coach’s style and Sevilla’s style, and how they started La Liga, they came out very strong. They’ll have their fans cheering them on, as is usually the case there in Sevilla, with a lot of energy. And I’ll say it again, we’re coming off two important matches. We have a tough game ahead of us, and we’ll work as a team to overcome those challenges.”
Simeone on 800 matches in the job
“You even forgot to congratulate me on my 800th match (laughs). Look where we are. I still have more to do. Nobody congratulated me, do you remember? No, I remember that. The focus was elsewhere, and they forgot about me.
“I’m fine, honestly. I’m happy; I’m where I want to be. For 15 years, I’ve been in a place where I was given the chance to grow as a person, as a professional, as a man. I’m grateful to the club, the fans, and the players who’ve been with us all this time. Today we have Gabi on the coaching staff, which fills me with enthusiasm about the results we’re achieving at the club. The truth is, I’m happy, I feel great, and I’m really looking forward to competing, which is what I love most.”
Simeone on the possibility of getting Julián back
“I understand the follow-up questions and the counter-questions, but I believe I’ve explained my current thinking quite clearly. I don’t have much more to say on the matter. From the moment Julián returns to training with us, we’ll give him everything we’ve always given him so he feels the way he’s always felt: important, just as he is to our team. And not much more than that.”
Simeone on Cristian Romero’s physical condition
“He’ll be joining us tomorrow. He’s trying to get back in shape as quickly as possible. He’s a player who needs time to get into top form. I won’t rush things, I won’t put him in until I feel he’s ready and he feels he’s in a position to perform where and how he should.”
Simeone on repairing the Julián situation
“In life, anything can be turned around, as long as we have our health.”
