ATLÉTICO
Atlético respond to Saúl's comments about Simeone
Atlético's technical department have responded to Saúl's admission about why he wanted to leave the club - "he didn't like being told where to train".
Saúl chatted to Ibai Llanos on his Twitch programme just minutes after his loan move to Chelsea was made official. The deal went through late on Monday after negotiations resumed. The midfielder talked at length about his decision to leave Atlético and take up a new challenge by moving to London to join the European champions. He also explained the reasons why he wasn't happy at Atleti. During the past two seasons, it was evident just how unhappy he was by the look on his face every time Simeone sent him on to play somewhere other than his natural position - at left-back, in defence, as a sweeper... That was the main reason, along with his unease within a dressing room full of personalities. He told Ibai, "I asked to be able to train in my position but El Cholo and Miguel Ángel felt it would be better for me to leave".
Atleti's training sessions focused on the next rivals
Saúl's opinion wasn't shared by members of Atlético's technical department, who told AS that on many occasions, it wasn't possible for Saúl to train in his normal position because when the team is preparing for a game during midweek practice matches, the substitutes play as the rivals. In other words, most of the time Saúl was not able to play in the position where he feels most comfortable. The way the team prepares for matches is always the same. A team comprising those who will likely be in the starting XI play against a side made up of the substitutes, who are positioned on the pitch exactly how Atleti's next opponents would be. So may times, the position where Saúl wanted to play didn't exist. Simeone will never change his training methods for one player.