Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has called on his team to step up their game in order to secure Champions League qualification. The Spanish giants currently sit in fourth place in LaLiga, seven points behind third-placed Girona with just five matches remaining. They also hold a three-point lead over fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao.
Simeone’s side were recently knocked out of the Champions League after a 5-4 aggregate loss to Borussia Dortmund. The head coach believes that the intensity of the Spanish top flight is increasing every year, making it more difficult for Atletico to maintain their top-four status.
“We are thinking about the game, hopefully we can be in the top four as we have been these years, but it is more difficult every day,” Simeone said in his pre-match press conference. “There is improvement in the other teams, so we have to improve.”
Defensively, Atletico have struggled this season, failing to keep a clean sheet since their 5-0 victory over Las Palmas in February. Simeone emphasized that defensive responsibility lies with the entire team, not just the defenders.
“When you talk about defence, people misunderstand and think that it’s only the defenders,” Simeone explained. “The defence is a team and we have conceded a lot of goals because we haven’t been able to work as a team.”
Looking ahead to their upcoming match against 16th-placed Mallorca, Simeone acknowledged the challenge his team will face. He praised Mallorca’s coach for his calmness and ability to compete, stating that he admires coaches like him.
“We have a tough opponent like Mallorca… they work with a coach who I admire for his calmness and his ability to compete,” Simeone said. “We will face a tough and difficult game.”
As the season comes to a close, Simeone plans to reflect on the team’s objectives and assess their performance. However, he will save his comments until the accounts are closed and the season is officially over.
