Diego Simeone, the coach of Atletico Madrid, has accepted full responsibility for his team’s 1-0 La Liga loss to Real Betis, which broke their winning streak. Simeone acknowledged to reporters that the team’s performance fell short of their typical level because he failed to sufficiently prepare them for the game.
Jose Maria Gimenez’s unintentional own goal in the fourth minute gave Atletico a bad start to the match, and they had trouble recovering despite a few chances. Simeone added, “I am responsible for the plan not working,” acknowledging that his tactical approach had not gone as anticipated.
Simeone said he and his players had “work to do and stuff to improve,” acknowledging opportunities for growth. He noted that he needs to make greater use of each player’s unique strengths and that the younger players still require time to get used to the team’s approach.
Atletico struggled to recover from Real Betis’ continuous attack, particularly following their recent 3-1 Champions League loss to Lille. Betis was hailed by Simeone, who described them as a “competitive team” and admitted that they “outplayed” Atletico.
Speaking about their recent difficulties, he said that losing games, such as to Lille, has made it difficult for them to rally. In order to assist players in executing his preferred style of play, he underlined the necessity for a more precise tactical approach.
With 20 points after the loss, Atletico is now only two points clear of Betis and ten points behind league leaders Barcelona in fourth place in La Liga. The setback emphasizes the effort Simeone believes is required to get back on track.
Atletico will have their next chance to bounce back on Thursday when they play UE Vic in the Copa del Rey. Simeone is probably going to utilize this game to hone tactics and allow players more time to become comfortable on the pitch.
Atletico Madrid will visit Las Palmas in La Liga just three days after the Copa del Rey game. Simeone wants to resolve the team’s problems as soon as possible to prevent more setbacks in their campaign.
Simeone continues to concentrate on honing strategies and making sure his players are more equipped for impending difficulties as Atletico regroups.
