Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid rivalling Chelsea in the race to sign 27-year-old Premier League winger
Atletico Madrid and Chelsea could go head-to-head in the race to sign Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Leandro Trossard, reports the Mirror.
The 27-year-old Belgian international has emerged as one of the top performers from teams outside the Big Six in the Premier League, impressing heavily with his displays for the Seagulls.
In just nine league appearances this term, Trossard has already racked up a tally of five goals and two assists, helping Brighton to seventh place in the table. It has seemingly attracted the attention of Chelsea and Atletico Madrid.
Chelsea raided Brighton for manager Graham Potter earlier this season to replace Thomas Tuchel and want to reunite the manager with Trossard at Stamford Bridge as early as January, as Christopher Nkunku would only be arriving next summer.
However, Atletico Madrid have also entered the fray for the signing of the Belgian international. But unlike Chelsea, Los Rojiblancos would want to sign the 27-year-old winger in the summer of 2023, when he will be a free agent.
Indeed, Trossard’s contract with Brighton stands to expire at the end of the season and Atletico want to pounce when that happens. It is claimed that the Colchoneros are operating on a tight budget and will look for free transfer opportunities next year, making the Belgian an appealing target.
However, Trossard has previously expressed his openness to join Potter at Chelsea. “If the opportunity arises, I want to go,” he said when quizzed about the possibility of a move to Stamford Bridge. “But I want to play and not sit on the bench.”
So, in case Chelsea come calling in January itself, Atletico might miss out on the 27-year-old Premier League attacker.
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid midfielder on the derby against Real Madrid: “Very difficult to beat them”
Following a 1-1 draw in their Champions League opener against Lazio, Atletico Madrid will shift all their attention to La Liga, as they brace themselves for the derby against Real Madrid this weekend.
Heading into this game, Atleti midfielder Marcos Llorente spoke about Real Madrid’s quality and Atletico Madrid’s chances of squeezing all three points from this iconic derby.
Llorente on Madrid derby
“The sensations are good. The team is very good, the other day we played a great game despite ending up drawing. I really think that the team did a great job that must be maintained for this match,” Llorente said in an interview with Diario AS.
When asked whether or not Real Madrid being tagged as favourites could aid Atleti, the midfielder said, “Honestly, it neither motivates me nor demotivates me. We simply have to do what we work on during the week, what the coach asks of us.”
Llorente stressed the importance of the game, adding, “It is a great rival we have in front of us, they are having a very good start to the season and that motivates me and everyone to try to play a good game.”
“Real Madrid is a great club, they have great players and it is very difficult to beat them. I think we have competed, we have also achieved several draws, but in the end, either you go out one hundred percent and do things very, very well or it is difficult to beat them,” he added.
A former member of the Real Madrid youth academy, Llorente joined Atletico Madrid in 2019. Since then, he has racked up over 150 competitive appearances for Los Colchoneros.
Llorente, though, said he feels no sense of vindication when he performs well against his former team.
“No. In the end, it’s been many years since I left there and I’m at Atlético. Perhaps in the first years, those types of feelings and sensations can arise, but today they no longer do,” he said.
Llorente on Vinicius, Koke & Bellingham
The Atletico Madrid star went on to talk about other aspects of the game, including the fact that his team had one less player every time they faced Real Madrid last season.
“I have zero worries. These are things that are not in our remit, that escape our hands. We play football, the referees referee and those who have to decide decide,” he said.
Llorente, in fact, said that the return of Koke could be a real boost for Atleti. “It is always good that Koke is with us, both on the field and in the day-to-day life of the game,” he said.
“Beyond the grass. The support he gives, the advice he gives us, his experience. it is always important to have him and it is great news that he is already training with us,” he added.
Talking about the absence of Vinicius Junior and the form of Jude Bellingham, Llorente said, “Well, you have to be careful with everyone. All Real Madrid players are very good and can make a difference at any moment of the game. Bellingham is having a great start and we have to take that into account and be very focused.”
Finally, Marcos Llorente put out a message for all the Atletico Madrid fans, claiming their support ahead of this crucial encounter this weekend.
“It will be a full house as always. We don’t have to tell them anything, they know the importance of this match for Atlético, we know that they never fail, they are always supporting us and we count on them,” he said.
