MADRID, 9 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético Madrid head coach Diego Pablo Simeone has claimed that “the idea” of the team “has been clearly visible for the last 12 years,” emphasizing that wearing the red and white jersey is “a tremendous motivation.” He expressed confidence in his players’ commitment and revealed that Marcos Llorente will not be available for this Sunday’s match against RCD Mallorca because “the medical team has decided he should not travel as a precaution.”
“The idea has been clearly visible for the last 12 years. It’s evident that we can’t always perform at our maximum level. We always hope to deliver at that level, but there are times when we cannot meet our own demands. There is a collective idea of the team working in unison, and it doesn’t matter whether the block is high or low; against Las Palmas it was higher, against PSG it was lower. What matters is that people feel connected to what we are doing,” he stated during the press conference.
In this regard, he asserted that every match serves as motivation for his red and white players. “Representing Atlético Madrid and putting on the jersey every match is an immense motivation, no matter the opponent, and that is what we have always wanted to convey since we arrived at the club. I do not deviate from that philosophy; I believe that it is the ethos that has always represented us,” he noted before discussing the quest for consistency. “Maintaining consistency is the most challenging aspect in football; maintaining that intent is what we are working on,” he added.
On another note, ‘Cholo’ revealed that he will be able to count on César Azpilicueta, but not yet on Marcos Llorente. “In principle, César will travel. Llorente is doing very well, but the medical team has decided that he should not travel as a precaution. It’s a pity that we cannot have him; we lost him quite some time ago, and we also need the energy Llorente brings,” he indicated.
He also discussed the form of Argentine Nahuel Molina, who scored the equalizer against PSG. “We always expect the best from each player. He has improved his positional play, allowing us to attack with more men and defend similarly with greater speed. We hope he can maintain this consistency, which is always the most important thing for all footballers,” he expressed.
Regarding Alexander Sorloth, he noted that he is doing “very well.” “His not being called against PSG changes nothing at all. He performed well against Las Palmas; he started midweek against Vic and gave his best effort. We have a squad in which those who are left out might feel something unusual. There’s nothing wrong; it’s just a selection of players we believe will benefit that match. This way we operate; one day one player will get more minutes, another day fewer for someone else. We are not going to change that,” he elaborated.
Finally, he praised Jagoba Arrasate’s work at RCD Mallorca. “We are going to face a team that plays very well, that concedes very few goals, that defends excellently, with a very clear idea from the coach, which he has honed for many years at Osasuna and now represents very well at Mallorca,” he analyzed.
“They are a brave team, a team with good aerial play, a team that knows how to defend deep and counter-attack quickly, a team that utilizes its flanks for attacking and knows how to defend compactly and counter-attack effectively. They are a team that is doing very well in the league and has been working excellently throughout all these matches since LaLiga started,” he concluded.
