Atletico Madrid News
Simeone talks Joao Felix, Oblak, Ancelotti, formations ahead of Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid may have gotten off to a poor start to their league season but their performances in recent weeks have given fans a reason to cheer. Los Rojiblancos have won two of their last three league encounters and currently sit in fourth place with six wins in ten games.
They now face fifth-placed Real Betis at Benito Villamarin on Sunday. Both teams sit level on twenty points with only a better goal difference placing Atletico ahead.
Diego Simeone spoke to the press ahead of his team’s clash and talked about a plethora of topics including the team’s relationship with the fans. Here are the snippets from his media interaction.
On restoring a bond with fans: “We have to be strong again at home, with our people, with the support of our people above all, so that the team recovers that energy that is always transmitted from the outside to the inside.
“But above all, we, from the inside, get people excited, which is what people need to be hooked on the team. That is what I see, above all, what is happening to us at home.”
On Joao Felix’s situation: “Let’s see, several situations. When talking about Joao the focus is on him, if it happened to Correa, Cunha, Morata, or Griezmann, the subject would not be discussed in the same way. But it generates opinion and discussion talk about Joao.”
On the Portuguese winger’s training: “I’ve already explained what I thought, Joao is training better, with good energy and good feelings, so based on what he’s doing, hopefully when it’s his turn he’ll do it as a result of what he’s now showing in training.”
On the effect of his system on Felix: “Regarding the system, I don’t think it has any influence on Joao, because playing in 4-3-3, it is clear that with Carrasco, he is the one who best knows the position as a left winger, where he likes to play, and if plays 5-3-2 or 4-4-2 is on the inside and has done it a lot of times.”
“I’m glad to see that we share an opinion about Joao’s improvement in training, as you have commented, and hopefully, it will be a consequence if he has to play 20, 60′, 80′ or 101 minutes.”
On injured players: “Let’s hope that all the players are well because we need them all and as soon as they are all well, the team will win.”
On Jan Oblak: “Oblak is going to be called up.”
On Manuel Pellegrini: “Pellegrini’s and mine are two different situations with a similar value. We have transmitted it in Atleti and he has done it in the world. Not only in Europe, but in South America as well. His teams have their brand, their game identity, and he never changes that.”
On Real Betis: “Betis are competitive, more and more and more closer to that goal they have of the Champions League. La Liga is tough, Real, Sevilla, Betis, Osasuna, they are growing, the Champions League places begin to be more and more complicated”.
On Los Verdiblancos’ phenomenal run last season: “Last season marked the path that Betis has shown. In the end, it didn’t manage to reach that goal of the Champions League, but with a great effort in the middle for the Cup. The path to follow is what they are doing. The team plays well, it’s dangerous, with a lot of attacks”.
On Carlo Ancelotti’s recent comments on being called a Cholista: “I understand what Ancelotti said from the question he was asked.
“We are certainly not similar at all, because Madrid manages to win continuously and we make a continuous effort year after year to get closer to Madrid and Barca, who are the best year to year, and we try to do it with our spirit, our weapons, we seek to do what brings us closer to competing against them.”
Source: Atletico Madrid YouTube
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid monitoring teenage striker with €40 million release clause – Romano
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Atletico Madrid are among the clubs monitoring the progress of UD Almeria striker Marciano Sanca.
The 19-year-old Guinea-Bissau forward joined Almeria from Portuguese outfit Leixoes in January last year, linking up with the club’s B team.
Marciano has made three league appearances Almeria’s reserve team and has not scored a goal yet. The teenager has been training with the first-team setup regularly and Romano claims that he is close to making his debut in La Liga.
While he might not have made a splash at the senior level yet, Marciano seems to be already gathering admirers with Atletico Madrid, Villarreal and Brighton & Hove Albion said to be tracking the youngster.
Los Rojiblancos are set to enter the market for a new centre-forward as Joao Felix is expected to be sold permanently while Alvaro Morata’s future is also not entirely certain.
So even though Diego Simeone has Memphis Depay, Angel Correa, and Morata at his disposal, Atletico Madrid will dive into the market for a new striker with there being links to Mateo Retegui of Boca Juniors, currently on loan at Tigre.
Now, Marciano has also emerged as a potential target or Atletico Madrid, although signing him will not be easy in the summer.
Even though the 19-year-old’s contract expires in 2024, he is bound by a release clause worth €40 million and Almeria intend to keep him at the club beyond this season.
So, the La Liga club might hold out for the entire release clause amount in order to stave off potential suitors like Atletico Madrid, who are not in a position to make such an investment on an unproven youngster.
