Simeone claims the support of the fans to defeat Valladolid

Diego Pablo Simeone demanded this Friday from the Metropolitan fans their support for Atlético to defeat Valladolid this Saturday in the League, “because the team is tired, playing every three days, and is making a great effort.” “I hope that the people are close to the team, because we need the strength of our people,” insisted the Argentine coach, hours before comparing the new rojiblanco signing, Memphis Depay, with Diego Costa, despite the fact that the former Dutch Barça player did not He is a pure center forward.

«Memphis can play first or second point. I see him quite similar to Costa, who started as the second striker on the outside but in the end ended up playing as a striker, because he is strong and defines well. Memphis has shown it, especially during his time in France (at Olympique de Lyon), and last week at Barcelona he didn’t have bad numbers, “said Simeone.

“Costa is a great player and he was very successful here, but I think we are different players. I don’t really like being compared, because everyone has the right to be their own player. I like that Costa had a great fighting spirit and in that it is a good comparison », settled Memphis Depay himself during his official presentation at the stadium where Atlético will receive Valladolid.

The mirror of Almeria

After securing qualification for the Cup quarterfinals at the Ciutat de València against Levante, Atlético faces a Valladolid team that, after four consecutive defeats, is only one point away from relegation to the Second Division. “Valladolid proposes a very clear and defined game, with a lot of people offensively, but the results are not working for them,” warned Simeone, who wants Atlético to get closer “to a large extent to the match that was played against Almería, because when the team plays, plays well, and when it attacks it has important situations.”

With the closest precedent of the cup duel against Levante, the rojiblanco coach acknowledged that during the first half Atlético “played badly” and such lousy football cannot be repeated against Valladolid. “We did not play football, trying to demonstrate the capacity and hierarchy that these players have,” he lamented, referring to the Cup round of 16 clash that Atlético solved with goals from Morata and Llorente, in added time.