Simeone says Atletico can compete with Real Madrid after years of underperforming against their city neighbours
Record ID:
78455
Simeone says Atletico can compete with Real Madrid after years of underperforming against their city neighbours
- Title: Simeone says Atletico can compete with Real Madrid after years of underperforming against their city neighbours
- Date: 18th November 2016
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (NOVEMBER 18, 2016) (REUTERS) ATLETICO MADRID PLAYERS IN VICENTE CALDERON STADIUM COACH DIEGO SIMEONE ARRIVING AT TRAINING SESSION FORWARD ANTOINE GRIEZMANN AT TRAINING SESSION DEFENDER DIEGO GODIN TALKING WITH PHYSICAL TRAINER AND CAPTAIN GABI PLAYERS AT SESSION GABI TALKING WITH MIDFIELDER KOKE RESURRECCION PLAYERS AT SESSION FORWARD SAUL NIGUEZ AT SESSION PLAYERS AT SESSION STRIKER FERNANDO TORRES AT SESSION VICENTE CALDERON STADIUM KOKE PASSING THE BALL RIGHT BACK JUANFRAN TORRES TRAINING GRIEZMANN TRAINING GODIN TRAINING SOMEONE ATTENDING SESSION VARIOUS OF GRIEZMANN TRAINING GABI PASSING THE BALL GOALKEEPER TRAINING GOALKEEPER JAN OBLAK TRAINING LEFT BACK FILIPE LUIS AND MIDFIELDER TIAGO MENDES WARMING UP TRAINING IN PROGRESS SIMEONE ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ATLETICO MADRID COACH DIEGO SIMEONE ON GRIEZMANN: "He is doing a big effort in order to play the match. Well I hope he finishes the training session well so when I name the final squad he can be part of it for tomorrow." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ATLETICO MADRID COACH DIEGO SIMEONE, SAYING: "We understand that the rival is an important team. They haven´t lost in the last 28 matches. They have extraordinary players and that is why they won two Champions (League). We will have to move the game to where we feel more comfortable and play with the intensity a game like this requires." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ATLETICO MADRID COACH DIEGO SIMEONE, SAYING: "We know that for a long time they were much better than us. Nowadays we compete at the same level as them. As I have explained before, this is just a game not a complete league. A game is a game and anything can happen." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS SIMEONE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM
- Embargoed: 3rd December 2016 19:51
- Keywords: Atletico Madrid Diego Simeone Derby Real Madrid La Liga
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00158Z02M7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann trained on Friday (November 18) with the rest of the squad and he is ready to face Real Madrid in the local derby.
Atletico Madrid's failure to keep a clean sheet in the last four games has undermined their terrific start to the season but with the French striker fully recovered from a blow sustained with the national team last Friday (November 11) the Colchoneros hope to raise their level against Real.
"He is doing a big effort in order to play the match. Well I hope he finishes the training session well so when I name the final squad he can be part of it for tomorrow," said Simeone.
Simeone warned that his team will have to perform at their best on Saturday (November 19) in order to claim points from their clash with Real.
"We understand that the rival is an important team. They haven´t lost in the last 28 matches. They have extraordinary players and that is why they won two Champions (League). We will have to move the game to where we feel more comfortable and play with the intensity a game like this requires," he said.
One of Spain's strongest sides, thanks to their defensive excellence in recent years, Simeone's men gave away just three goals in their opening 11 games of the season and led La Liga alongside Real Madrid.
Things have changed quickly, however, as Atletico have conceded six goals in their last four matches, including their first in Champions League Group D.
Consecutive away league defeats at Sevilla and Real Sociedad have left Atletico fourth in the standings, six points behind leaders Real, whom they host on Saturday in the local derby.
Before Simeone took the helm Atletico failed to defeat Real in 14 consecutive years.
"We know that for a long time they were much better than us. Nowadays we compete at the same level as them. As I have explained before this is just a game not a complete league. A game is a game and anything can happen," Simeone said.
Atletico, without a clean sheet since Oct. 19, still have the second best defensive record in La Liga with eight goals conceded, one more than Villarreal. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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