Diego Simeone compared Wanda Metropolitano to “a Roman circus” after Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Sevilla on Saturday.
Goals form Yannick Carrasco and Antoine Griezmann not only fired Atleti to second in La Liga but also secured them successive wins at their new home of the Metropolitano.
“Successful rotations? The challenge we have within the club is to acknowledge no-one is more important than the team, that the most important thing is the collective,” the Coach said after the game.
“If we all unite, we’ll be on the right path. There’s a lot of competition here, and that’s good for the club and them. That's the way it’ll be if everyone understands this.
“Atmosphere at the Metropolitano? It seemed like a Roman circus, and I was thrilled. I’m very excited about it. When the fans cheer and shout, it feels like a Roman circus.
“No suffering? We faced a great team, who managed to play with the fluidity they wanted and a lot of technical quality.
“They kept their pace for a long time, but our individual moves allowed us to cause them problems.
“We started resolutely in the second half and found the goal allowed us to play as we wanted "
“More difficulty to rotate? My soul hurts whenever I have to drop one of our four centre-backs.
“Balance? [This game] mattered until today, but as of the evening, we’ll be thinking about Chelsea.
“When the fans get to play and get involved at the stadium, it’s tremendous. It looks like a Roman circus and it excites me.
“We quickly turned a negative situation into a positive one, not being able to sign players.
“Thomas and Vietto are helping us a lot, they’ve given us the possibility of competing well.
“Getting used to Wanda? The team are getting better. We’re still a bit slow [in moving the ball], but we’re making friends, we are getting to know each other.
“Difficult first half? Games last for 90 minutes and there are many moments to read games in football, but what counts is the collective, and the team responded well from there.
“Rotations for Chelsea? We’re looking at the Chelsea games and their characteristics, and we'll see what the team needs.
“Costa’s unveiling? I’m very respectful about the times put forward by Atletico and Chelsea.
“It makes us very happy that a player of his quality wants to come here. Making it official doesn’t depend on us.
“The team have improved in terms of competition. Many players have grown many and haven’t stopped fighting the experienced guys for places.
“The strength of some and the enthusiasm of others make us more balanced. It’s a challenge for every Coach.
“Growth? It comes with time, it allows us to develop and if a player wants to grow, they can do so.
“I spoke with Thomas and Correa and told them they hadn’t been regulars in the team because they hadn’t responded to our demands. It’s all about what happens on the pitch.”
