Juanfran: Atletico getting better

Juanfran believes League leaders Atletico Madrid will keep improving as the season progresses.

Atletico beat Villarreal 1-0 on Saturday to maintain their position at the top of the table with six games of the season to go.

Diego Simeone’s men are a point clear of their Champions League opponents Barcelona and three ahead of city rivals Real Madrid.

Juanfran has told Mundo Deportivo that Los Colchoneros haven’t fulfilled their potential yet.

“By the end of the season we will be better than Saturday, with more hope,” the defender said.

“I am convinced that we will have an incredible end to the season.

“[Villarreal] was a very hard and difficult game. We put in great effort against Barcelona [on Tuesday] and on Saturday had to do it again.

“We notice tiredness in some phases of games but we make up for it with enthusiasm and heart, and this team has a lot of heart.”

Juanfran praised a number of his teammates for their contributions, including Raul Garcia, who scored against the Yellow Submarine.

“He is one of the captains and very important for the team,” Juanfran said of the midfielder.

“But it’s not only Raul. There’s also Guaje [David Villa], Diego Ribas and Adrian, who came in on Saturday after so long without playing and gave everything.”

Juanfran called on Atletico to maintain the same sort of fight they have shown throughout the campaign.

“We defend the points we have with all we have, with a great deal of effort,” he continued.

“The three points were very valuable because Villarreal are a very good team and we stay as leaders, which is most important.

“We showed at the weekend that we are a great team. I don’t know if we’re the best team but we run the most and work the most.

“We need the support of our people. They can see that we left everything on every ball and we have the same goal as they do, to achieve great things.”

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La Liga - Club News