Diego Simeone, manager of Atletico Madrid, is navigating a challenging schedule with a tight turnaround before the crucial derby clash against Real Madrid. The team faces Celta Vigo on Thursday, leaving just two days of rest before the high-stakes derby. Simeone has highlighted the importance of managing player workloads, particularly after central midfielder Koke missed training on Wednesday due to accumulated minutes.
“We are trying to manage it in the best way possible. We haven’t changed much, trying to make the training sessions based on the players’ workloads so that they arrive at the match in the best possible way,” Simeone explained to reporters.
The demanding fixture schedule is a growing concern across European football, as evidenced by recent injuries to key players like Kylian Mbappe and Rodri. Simeone emphasizes the need for player agency in addressing this issue. “They are the ones who manage everything, all the rest of us are there to accompany (them), to try to manage. But the only ones who can create change are the footballers because they are the ones who play,” he stated.
Despite the challenges, Simeone expressed confidence in his strikers, Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez, who have struggled to find the net consistently this season. “I have no doubt that with time and the partnerships that we will create, they will perform better. It is our job to make them feel better and it is their job to transmit to us those partnerships that are generated in football,” Simeone said.
Atletico currently sits in fourth place with 12 points after six games, while Celta Vigo is ninth with nine points. The match on Thursday presents a critical opportunity for Atletico to close the five-point gap to Real Madrid and stake their claim in the title race.
