Diego Simeone warned at the beginning of this return from the competition. I needed all the players in the Atlético de Madrid to reach the goal, the Champions. “We have an important squad and with the possibility of five substitutions. When those who enter do so at the level they did, it gives us options to compete as we want. ” Cholo said after thrashing Osasuna at El Sadar. “We need everyone and today we saw it,” he said after beating Valladolid at the Metropolitano.
And after defeating Levante in La Nucía, more of the same: “It makes me happy for them. With three changes it is more complex, it makes more people angry. The players are there to play. We must manage their emotions and we cannot make them happy when they are absent. With five changes there are footballers who can compete. And this speaks of the good template that has been formed, “he said.
El Cholo has been repeating the message for weeks: he needs everyone. And it does not remain in words, because the facts prove him once again. And is that Simeone he has used in these four matches all the footballers he has had available except two: Adamsubstitute goalkeeper Ivan Saponjic, which has hardly had prominence throughout the season. Obviously, the injured have not had minutes either Philip and Vrsaljko.
The rest, all have participated to a greater or lesser extent in this carousel of four games in ten days that the mattress makers have faced. One fact to keep in mind is that no field footballer has repeated in the starting eleven in all appointments. Not even Saul and Koke, essential in the plans of a Simeone that he knew he should rotate so as not to carry his men and thus prevent possible injuries.
In addition, most footballers have formed the starting eleven in some of the appointments. Until the youth squad Manu Sánchez You can brag about it. The only staff member who has had minutes and has not started yet is VitoloHowever, he was the protagonist in last Saturday's clash against Valladolid, scoring the winning goal in the 81st minute. That same night he started Lemar, his only time, but the French once again wasted an opportunity. And they go…
Jan Oblak he is the only one who has been present from the beginning in all appointments. The only one who has completed all the minutes of play in this return from the competition. The Slovenian, who has conceded somewhat (in the first clash, in San Mamés) in four commitments, has been playing for three consecutive games leaving his door to zero, making it clear to Courtois that he will fight for Zamora until the last moment.
Separate mention for Diego Costa, whom Cholo has trusted again, giving him ownership in three of the four appointments, as Koke, Diego Costa, Savic, Lodi, Llorente or Giménez. At the other extreme, in addition to Lemar, and surprisingly, it is Morata, who has only formed in eleven once. Too belt, important throughout the course, but that after overcoming a muscle injury, is not now at its best. Joao Félix, who was dismissed in Bilbao by sanction, has started two games, as Carrasco
, who has regained Cholo's confidence, or as Mario Beautiful, which has also entered rotations.