Diego Simeone wants the Vicente Calderon crowd to get behind the Atletico Madrid players for the visit of Sevilla.
Atletico were whistled in their last home game, a 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo but at his pre-match Press conference, the Coach asked for nothing but the fans’ full support.
“I want a stadium dedicated to the players and supporters responding to an important game. Nothing else,” Cholo said, AS reports.
Simeone was also asked about the notion that Atletico are a model for the likes of Sevilla and Valencia, who harbour ambitions to crash the top of the League just as Los Colchoneros did last year.
“When good teams such as theirs are put together, it means they can compete. Good players alone don’t mean you win, but work and competition,” he warned.
“Sevilla are well-balanced in all areas and alternating players gives them a chance to compete and keep people happy.
“We’re both very good with set-pieces. Unai Emery has made them more aggressive and they have speed and a great striker in [Carlos] Bacca, who is the centre of the team.
“It’s up to you [if they, Valencia and Atleti are title challengers]. We’ll see, against a rival who have built well.
“Emery has done a good job as he usually does when he has time with a team. It will be an entertaining game between two teams who have similarities.”
Simeone, meanwhile, declined to say if Mario Mandzukic would be involved after the striker had surgery on a broken nose. If Mandzukic does play, he will wear a protective mask.
