ATLÉTICO MADRID
Gil Marín statement backing Simeone and calling for calm
Atlético Madrid have lost two titles in January but the club's CEO says they "can't assess the situation based on the pain of recent results."
Atlético Madrid have released a statement backing Diego Simeone and the players after Thursday night's shock defeat to Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey. The club's CEO, Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, says the criticism is understandable but that he has no doubt the team will rebound and reach its objectives this season.
Official statement
Miguel Ángel Gil Marín has assessed the Copa del Rey elimination to Cultural Leonesa on Thursday night. For the CEO "it was a tough blow and unexpected for all Atléticos. I understand perfectly and share the disappointment wth the fans but we can't evaluate the situation of the club based on the passion and pain of the last few results. We have to be responsible and evaluate what we are, where we are and what we have achieved as a club and as a technical staff with this squad. The more they doubt our work from outside, the stronger and more united we have to be."
The stumble we suffered in Leon has caused criticism and for the club director, this criticism "is normal, but we can't doubt the group who have helped us get here and we need to keep working without losing perspective. In the last decade, we have been in many finals, won 9 titles and we have consolidated our place amongst the best teams in Europe. This has allowed us to call upon one of the most valuable squads on the continent this season. My obligation as the delegated advisor is to protect the work done in recent years and the success it has given us. To all those who work at the club, I demand commitment and results and from the fans, I ask for confidence, because I am convinced that the team will continue to respond. The quality and the commitment of the squad and the technical staff, with Diego at the head of that, is unquestionable. I have no doubt that they will accomplish the club's objectives and they will help us to keep growing in the next few years."
The fans are in pain after the defeat and Miguel Ángel Gil understands: "All of the Atléticos are in pain after the game because we have lost two titles in the month of January although the feelings are very different. In the Super Cup, we fell at the last moment, but we competed with the best in the world. It's normal that the fans are disappointed for the unexpected defeat against a team from the Segunda B but we can not get away from what has made the current version of Atlético Madrid, a club that has grown spectacularly, with an unconditional following that counts 130,000 members and which is an example for many other sides. We have gotten here thanks to everyone: fans, club, managers, players. This is the secret to our growth and our strength, what makes us different to other teams. When things don't turn out well is when we have to be even more united to recover our competitive pulse before too long. We have a quick opportunity to do so on Sunday at home against Leganés."