“The club has been able to help Costa without being harmed”

Diego Pablo Simeone addressed the press in the run-up to the game against Getafe (tomorrow, 19:15) on the day of the match nine years since he directed his first training as a rojiblanco coach. He did so after the termination of Diego Costa with Atlético was known.

The termination of Diego Costa's contract has just been announced.

The club has released a statement to tell about Diego's situation. Tell them that within what we have discussed with him and his needs regarding his personal issues, the club has been able to help him without being harmed and that generates peace of mind. They know what we love Diego, we have spent a lot of time together in the best way, we gave each other a lot and we have talked with him. He also has the need to find new challenges because he is good, strong and I cannot imagine another scenario where he goes to do things well, because he is a fighter. To thank him, as to all the people who have given us their hearts, and Diego has been one of them from the sporting and human point of view. To hope that he finds the best way and to be able to hug each other when we meet again, since we haven't seen each other for a couple of days because he didn't come to train while he was negotiating. The most beautiful thing that remains is that we can hug each other when we see each other, celebrate and remember.

He has also had the setback of the sanction to Trippier.

They are the circumstances that we have to go through. I see Trippier unfair, the reason for the loss to Atlético when it has nothing to do with this situation and hope that it can be reviewed and assessed. He does not find Atlético in any good place and he does find the English Federation, hopefully it can be reviewed and that with criteria the benefit that is given to one is understood and it is taken away from another that has nothing to do with it.

In a week with vacations you are without Trippier or Costa.

It occupies us, I think that soccer we always say that it is 24 hours, no one can sleep because there is always someone awake thinking. In these circumstances, we have had to live so much in Diego's situation so that the club is not harmed and our teammates are mentalized in tomorrow's game. We have it clear for Getafe. The Trippier thing hurts us because we feel harmed, we are not part of this and to think about the game that is what worries us. Despite these circumstances we have been working and it was your turn this week without football in between.

With all this, do you think about its renewal?

They know me, I am very happy where I am, I look back to see how much work was done with the club, the footballers, the people who surround this institution in the growth that we have all had and it is wonderful. I have the continuous challenge day by day in game by game and we will see later with Miguel Ángel Gil, Enrique Cerezo and Andrea Berta, who are always in contact, we will seek the best for the good of all as I have always thought.

How does the option of looking for a striker by Coast work?

This has all been very recent, that of Diego. The sports management always works to find the best for the team and the club will tell me a little what they think and we will share situations accordingly. Whether or not someone comes to occupy the place that Diego has left.

There is talk of an interest in Marcos Alonso.

I am not talking about what can be said from the outside. I think about tomorrow's game, we have a rival who always competes very well, he has not had positive results, he has improved but the competition he has always had in the games he has played has been maximum, I cannot imagine a different Getafe than the one he plays who plays and the team in front of him.

Is Vrsaljko ready to play 90 minutes?

The footballers until they start to roll have that dizzying situation. The only way to find yourself is by playing. He recently had a few minutes in the Cup, he is training very well, he will have his opportunity to play again. Ricard is also growing in that position and has an offensive capacity for the team and we have some other situation that we always think about this that is happening to us unfairly with Trippier.

He says he did not want the club to be harmed by Costa's departure.

Your explanation to the question has an answer in the question. We want to help Diego and we don't want to hurt our competitiveness. As always, the people who work within the club in signing his departure will have taken all this into consideration.