Following a dramatic visit to Anfield on Wednesday, Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone was back in front of the media on Saturday to preview Sunday’s visit to RCD Mallorca, with the team looking to secure back-to-back league wins.
Asked about Atlético’s early season struggles, Simeone said “we’ve had different spells at the start of the league season, we’ve been able to score goals in all of them, and many times we’ve done so first, only to then draw or lose.”
“We do need to improve defensively, and
from there the team will continue to grow because it has players who haven’t been able to get involved, (like) Baena and Cardoso,” Simeone continued. “They’re important, they’ve come to play and we need their hard work and their ability to play.”
Diego Simeone on Giacomo Raspadori
“When we thought of him, we thought of a player who, as the matches and time go by, will surely always have that something that people didn’t know about him: a second striker, a winger, a player who has good teamwork, work ethic, good ball striking… and I hope that everything I’m saying can be seen and that he can demonstrate it. In his first appearance (as a starter against Liverpool), he can give us much more, we are going to demand much more from him, we have talked to him about the things we need to bring out.”
Diego Simeone on injuries
“Hancko’s ankle is better. Julián is still carrying some discomfort in his knee. He’s a bit off the pace.”
Diego Simeone on away form
“As always, we need to try to improve our start to the game away from home and be more decisive. I am a firm believer that football is all about efficiency, and when we have that, we have a chance of winning.”
Diego Simeone on Alexander Sørloth
“I appreciate that he always creates goal-scoring opportunities, in almost every game, that he has always been involved in important situations. Strikers can score a goal and get back to last season’s form. At the moment, he is finding it harder to be effective.”
Diego Simeone on whether he still enjoys his job
“I love what I do. I love it. I’m passionate about it, like almost all coaches are about what we do. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be where we are. As the years go by, the responsibility increases rather than decreases, which is normal. It keeps growing, finding different areas to sustain yourself, and the results accompany you. In the end, it’s all very nice, but you have to win.”
Diego Simeone on the atmosphere in the locker room after Anfield
“After the match, we were hurt by the effort, that we couldn’t take anything home, but knowing that, after the first 20 minutes, we have to compete in the Champions League, the league and every competition we play. Tomorrow’s opponent is a team that has very clear characteristics in their play, the same needs as us, and I can’t imagine anything other than a tough and difficult match.”
Diego Simeone on intensity
“How we played against Liverpool drives us to show how we can play. And the path is the one we took in the other day’s match: to compete, improve defensively, be more forceful in attack and grow so that the team is better.”
