Diego Simeone has accepted his three-game touchline ban ahead of Las Palmas and revealed Augusto Fernandez and Nicolas Gaitan could leave Atletico Madrid.
Simeone’s punishment comes after being sent off during Atleti’s 3-1 defeat to Sevilla in the Copa del Rey midweek, while Augusto and Gaitan have been given permission to move elsewhere, the pair failing to establish himself in two years at Wanda Metropolitano.
“Vitolo? He’s just arrived, he played against Lleida, Girona and in the first half against Sevilla, so it isn’t that he hasn’t played,” the Coach said at a Press conference.
“He’s improving, we’re integrating him little by little, we need his characteristics, talent and help.
“He’ll get more minutes in time, but he must take advantage of them because making our starting XI is complex.
“Carrasco, Correa, Koke and him can all do more to help the team, so he’ll get more minutes.
“Three-game ban? I have nothing to object, the Committee and referees know what they’re doing,
“They treat everyone the same, so if that’s the case, it seems right to me. I have nothing else to say about it.
“These are situations that are within the game, they can ban you and the Committee acts as a result of any bad behaviour.
“Augusto and Gaitan? The club are doing their best to finalise the squad for January. If Augusto has a chance [of moving elsewhere] and it’s good for him, I’ll be happy because he gave us his heart from the place he had to be.
“Every time a player has given us their life, I’m the first to open the doors to them. As for Gaitan, I’m waiting for him to make a decision.
“If he stays with us, he’ll be one more player for us. Costa? He’s feeling better, he trained well on Friday and did pretty well on Saturday.
“He won’t be in the squad, but he’s recovering well from his injury.”
