Simeone he attended the media in the previous Athletic-Elche, and a few hours after confirming the positive of Ivo Grbic. In addition, the coach confirmed the return of Diego Costa.
How has Grbic's positive changed your plans?
We have worked accordingly to what we could do, seeking the reactivity that was needed for today. We played at 2:00 p.m., it was not going to be a long training session and we tried not to alter what we had planned too much. Costa trained yesterday with the group, he played 20 minutes of soccer and I saw him quite well, so tomorrow he will be with us again. Good news for him, for his health, and not to mention for the team, he brings hierarchy, aggressiveness, and hopefully he can show it.
How did you know the positive?
The doctor told us in the morning that there had been a positive and we have to live with this situation. It is a difficult year, with many circumstances to face and it will happen to us, and to others and we have to find a way to solve it.
How is Diego Costa? And Suarez?
I can tell about Diego what I saw these days in training. I saw it pretty well. That generates enthusiasm and joy, first because it is well and consequently it will contribute. About Luis, possibly the first person responsible is me. As soon as he came out of COVID we have put him to play right away, without giving him time to train in the best way, but it is very important and the football he has had will give him rhythm for what is coming. We hope to find the footballer that the team needs, decisive, strong, with hierarchy and in the area where he moves the best there is.
How has Diego Costa passed this circumstance of thrombosis? And you?
We adapt to what is happening. I see him spectacular, he is a very positive guy, strong mentally and nothing takes him out of his fighting space in life and in the game. We hope that he is well on a personal level and, when he is available, demand what he can give us, which is a lot.
Burgos says that “Atleti is more than a favorite” for the title …
I have not spoken with Germán, it is true that I have changed my phone number. They are opinions, he was here with us. We do not go out from game to game, it is what mobilizes us and we are not going to get out of our line. Elche is doing well, perhaps the results are not being fair with what it does. A game of possession, an Argentine coach, with a great step in football there and he will surely do well in Spain. It will be a demanding rival.
How does the leadership affect the dressing room?
We focus on what matters, which is Elche. Boys had soccer in the Cup that had almost no minutes and it is good for the group, for the team. We care about the rival and we think about what we have to do well to stay on the line.
Is the merit of Llorente's change yours or that of the footballer?
Coaches are here to improve footballers. The biggest prize we can win when we stop training, apart from titles, is surpassed by the fact that footballers can say “such a coach made me better.” It is our requirement, to find how to empower our players and when we saw Marcos, when he played in training for the substitute team he always scored a goal. One day, two, three, four … until I thought I had to play in a position other than mid-center. We talked about it, we tried it, we looked for that space and that he believed it, which is the most complete. We find ourselves with a humble and hard-working person and a soccer player in continuous growth, who has a lot to improve. And a very nice step to see on the playing field. You have to keep giving and improving.
Do you still believe that Atleti bothers you?
I think of us, of improving the team, the club, improving last season's numbers. I do not stop so much in what everyone thinks, there are a lot of moments with which to know how to live. There is the growth of the team and the club. Hopefully, following the line from game to game, we will reach our objectives and improve what we did last year.