Simeone: Suárez and Diego Costa can start together
Atletico Madrid scored six times against Granada to open their LaLiga campaign and Diego Simeone has been thrilled with Luis Suarez's impact.
Diego Simeone is confident new signing Luis Suárez and Diego Costa can thrive together in the same team. Atletico made a spectacular start to LaLiga on Sunday, thrashing Granada 6-1 at home with substitute Suárez scoring twice and adding an assist after replacing Costa with 19 minutes remaining.
Club president Enrique Cerezo insisted this week that Costa was a player Atletico needed to keep despite the arrival of Suárez from Barcelona. And Simeone had no qualms with that as he spoke ahead of Wednesday's away match against Huesca.
Simeone hints at Costa-Suárez partnership
"Costa and Suárez can start or they can play during the game, together and separately," Simeone said.
"Of course they can play together, but you have to see when and in what situation. The important thing is that both of them give us all the fire they have.
"Both Diego with his personality and Luis with his status in the game are very important players. We will see who starts on Wednesday.
"When the president speaks, everyone is behind him. I agree with what the president said [about Costa].
"[Suárez has shown] absolute humility, despite the experience he brings. He wants to start showing how important he can be for the team on the pitch and in the day-to-day work for the group."
Asked if Suarez's Uruguay team-mate Edinson Cavani would also be joining his attacking options, Simeone said: "I am not talking about the players we do not have on the squad and who cannot help us against Huesca, which is the important thing.
"Everyone knows Cavani, but we only care about the players who can lead us to the goals we set ourselves every year."
Atlético tipped for the title
The emphatic start has seen Ateltico heavily praised and billed as title contenders in the media, with João Felix also among their group of star-studded forwards.
"I do not stop for criticism or flattery," added Simeone. "They are part of the opinion that journalism needs to convey about what it sees and their work must be respected.
"We have to go game by game. Our opponents played very good games against Villarreal and Valencia so it will be a difficult game on a pitch where they need to be strong."