ATLÉTICO-REAL MADRID | SIMEONE
Simeone: "Real Madrid always snaffle up all of the best players"
The coach looked ahead to tomorrow's Madrid derby and spoke about Antoine Griezmann. "He's the most important player we have in front of goal".
Diego Pablo Simeone looked ahead to tomorrow night's Madrid derby - the first to be played at the Wanda Metropolitano and also spoke about Antoine Griezmann. "He's the most important player we have in attack".
Does this derby take on a special meaning because both teams are in need of points? The big games - derbies and clásicos, in every country, always generate tension, there is always motivation. It a mixture of anxiety and ambition. Since the day I arrived at Atlético every derby has been the same in terms of necessity. I couldn't imagine it any other way.
Simeone says Griezmann is as fired up as ever
Griezmann is back in the spotlight. How is he?
To be honest with you, he's fine. It's a difficult situation - the other day, they took the team photo just as he was leaving to take up his position on the pitch. An it makes it seem that he doesn't want to be in the photo. I can understand journalists' take on it - but he always does that. He's the most skillful player we have the most important player we have in attack. What I see in Griezmann is enthusiasm. The team is enjoying a good league campaign but we haven't seen Griezmann's best moment yet. And that's what I'm really looking forward to.
Are you worried about the non-stop rumours about his future?
The only thing that worries me is that the team improves, and that tomorrow, we have 18 players who know exactly what this game is about and what we have to do. All that I am concerned about right now is making sure my lads are filled with hope, drive and enthusiasm. As for the rumours, they're part and parcel of the game. There'll always be rumours like we had with Falcao, Diego Costa, Torres, Diego Ribas... the media will always talk about the high profile players.
Has the team missed Carrasco and Koke?
Both are very important players for us. Koke helps us going forward from defence to attack and Carrasco gives us alternatives in attack. So the team has been without two important players.
Madrid quick to seize all of LaLiga's most talented players
Real Madrid have been struggling to take their games forward. Have you been surprised by their erratic form?
Tomorrow we will be facing the best team in the world at this moment. A while ago, it was Barcelona, but now it's Madrid. They have won two Champions League on the trot, they won LaLiga last season. They started this season by winning the Spanish and European Supercups... Despite whatever results they might get here or there, they're the best team. They have a squad which they've built by bringing in all of the good players from all of the clubs in the Spanish league; obviously that makes a big difference because it means that the rest of the clubs don't have the chance to get to the promising players and those younger players don't have the chance to develop at other clubs. They've accumulated all of the best talent but the players they're brought in are doing really well.
Simeone rules himself out of the Everton job
Over in England, you have been linked to the Everton job..
So I have read, but as I've said on various occasions, my future is tied to Atlético de Madrid and they are going to have to put up with me for the next couple of years at least. I'm absolutely sure about that.
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