Atletico Madrid News
Juventus looking to re-sign 29-year-old Spanish striker in the summer
With the striker market completely saturated this transfer window, Alvaro Morata is a reliable option on the market. One who can fit the style of various clubs without compromise.
He would be an excellent fit for Atletico Madrid, who are running short on goals, but the rift between him and Diego Simeone is bigger than ever before.
With the Argentine manager unwilling to accommodate him in his plans for the coming season, Atletico must once again look to ship Morata away from Wanda Metropolitano.
According to reports from Di Marzio, members of Juventus’ administration recently met with the striker’s agents. The Bianconeri are looking to bring the player back to Turin and Morata is said to be keen on engineering a return.
The 29-year-old spent the last two years on loan at Juventus, scoring 20 goals and providing 16 assists. In the recent season, he found the back of the net 11 times in 32 appearances.
However, the story of Morata and Juventus does not end there. The forward played for the Italians for two years before his move to Real Madrid in 2016 too.
His contract in Spain runs until the summer of 2024, meaning he has two more years before he is a free agent. It remains to be seen if the two parties work out a permanent transfer or another loan but the former would be the more preferred solution.
If indeed Morata secures a return to Turin, he will have to compete directly with Dusan Vlahovic for a starting role. Nevertheless, the player would undoubtedly prefer a future at Juventus over staying on the sidelines with Los Rojiblancos.
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.
