Ahead of the Champions League clash with Club Brugge, Diego Simeone has challenged summer star player Alex Baena to provide more help after a disappointing first six months at the Metropolitan Stadium. Baena was appointed as the main playmaker but has been in and out of the team due to injuries but has been outstanding of late.
Baena did not start the Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona and bowed out after an hour in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Rayo Vallecano. Baena is the most expensive of Atletico Madrid’s nine signings this summer, but he has yet to find a role for himself.
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Simeone wants more from Alex Baena
Simeone told the media he also expected more from Baena but seemed confident he would get it.
He told Diario AS: “He has a positive attitude, a willingness to always give his best, a unique talent and we need more from him and we will demand from him what we see.”
Atletico Madrid midfielder Giuliano Simeone (i) escapes Ricardo Rodríguez, Betis, during the 10th round match of La Liga between Real Betis and Atletico Madrid at the Estadio Katuha in Sevilla. EFE/Julio Munoz
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“I can’t ask for more from my players” – Simeone
Another talking point at Atletico has been the mixed form of late, with two comfortable wins over Barcelona and Real Betis between losses to Betis and Rayo Vallecano.
“The second half against Rayo was not good; the first half was not that bad. The same was true against Betis. But we have not won for a while and this is a couple of games in a row and winning is the most important thing and if we don’t win it creates some bad situations. The team is willing to give it its all; I can’t ask for more in terms of commitment, intensity and desire to win. However, we do ask each player to contribute more in their respective positions.”
Captain Koke Resurreccion, who also spoke to the media, could not give a clear answer beyond natural variation.
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“How do I explain it? We are human beings, we have good days and bad days. If we had a recipe for perfect football, like we did against Betis or Barcelona, we would play like this every day. We are the first ones who want to win, we are the first ones who suffer and we need to understand what happens to us and try to be consistent to achieve great things. We are in good form in the cup and the Champions League and hopefully we can play a good game like we did in the cup competition,” he told Diario AS》.
Picture from EFE/Marca
“People thought I was finished” – Koke Resurreccion
Personally, Koke is having a good season and has been Atletico’s most consistent midfielder in years alongside Pablo Barrios.
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“I’m in the right position now and doing what the coach asked me to do. I want to help, I feel good and I’m happy, a lot of people thought I was finished because of my age, but at 34 I feel good and I can contribute to the team.”