Simeone: “Llorente shows that the work has a prize”

Simeone, Atlético coach, analyzed the suffered victory of his team (0-1) against Levante, after a good first half and a weaker second half. The third consecutive victory for the rojiblancos.

What are the feelings of victory?

We started very strong, with intensity, recoveries in the transitions and that made us create goal situations. We had the game under control, at the end of the first half they began to gain control of the game, with important characteristics and we reached the second half and if we did not enlarge the scoreboard we would suffer, because their team plays well. Unfortunately we had no success and we could not close the game. Mayoral appeared and we left with the vertigo generated by 0-1.

Marcos Llorente continues to excel.

The facts speak for themselves. It is not necessary to have so many flatteries when it shows with movement, attitude, pressure what is happening to him. Hopefully he can maintain this continuity, because he worked a lot, he suffered a lot because since he arrived he played little. After seeing this that he is generating in training, we try to put him further on from Liverpool and we find a different characteristic from the ones we have with the Correa, João, Costa, Morata … and it generates us a more important footballer in the team.

They have regained defensive strength.

I think that normally we have always had consistency in the defensive phase. We have received goals like most teams, but I think we have achieved consistency in the defensive phase. We are having more chances and offensive danger and that generates the impression of being able to win.

He has tied Luis in victories.

At no time did I plan to compete with Luis. Know, with the relationship that I have had with him, that he will be happy from the place where he will be looking. Since I told him in Seville that Atlético wanted me as a footballer, he told me what he was waiting to go there. I have no doubt that you will be enjoying it from where you are looking at us. It is always important to win, in the last five games we played four as visitors and we won three and we tied one. We are changing that situation that was costing us so much.

Real Madrid and Barça complain about the schedules, you played at 19:30 with a very high temperature.

I understand that the only thing that matters to us is to do what we can do, we cannot move the circumstances, we adapt to compete. What matters in every game is winning.

They have a great start to get classified for the Champions League.

After the sensations of the Liverpool game, which we had to win both games against one of the best or the best team in the world, I had no doubt that the team would compete as it is doing. You can win or not, given the success and strength we are closer, but that the team was going to compete has already shown it. After losing 2-0 to a great rival, we scored three goals and this team is responding without straying from reality. What will count is the match against Alavés.

Great template quality is demonstrated.

It makes me very happy. When there are only three changes it is more complex and the footballers who do not play get angry. We have to handle those situations, now having five changes there are footballers who can compete and speaks of the good squad that has been formed for the goal we have as a club.

Is Llorente the most fit forward in the squad?

The facts speak for themselves. To flatter a state of form as what is seen does not make sense. You have to do the opposite, create the situation that after so much effort you did, always training well, without protesting or having a bad predisposition after being left out a lot of times, in the end the people who work always have a prize.

He has adapted very well to his new position. Is he the best?

No, there were a lot of footballers who have responded brilliantly to his change of position. In Argentina too, Abelairas, who was a lane, ended up being the best in the midfield. It happens because one has the vision of what can happen, but the soccer players are the ones that develop. On some occasion I will have been wrong, because we are not perfect, putting soccer players where they could not perform at the best level.