Sports
Ahead of the anticipated Madrid derby, Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone expressed his desire to hurt rivals Real Madrid, while simultaneously revealing his admiration and profound respect for Portuguese coach José Mourinho. These remarks were made during a press conference held by the Argentine coach prior to Sunday's clash between Atlético and Real Madrid at the Riyadh Air Metropolitan Stadium. Atlético currently sits fourth in the La Liga standings with 13 points, whereas Real Madrid is in second place with 15 points. Simeone delved into the fundamental aspects of the match, noting that "the characteristics of each team" would be crucial. He explained that Real Madrid "will have faster and more direct offensive transitions than us... they are strong and exploit this advantage." He emphasized that "we must play the match in the best possible way, so that the opponent does not feel comfortable in the rapid transitions they execute." The Atlético coach underscored the unique nature of the derby encounter, stating: "The derby is different; there is immense tension and great hope due to the rivalry, and as a result of the competitive spirit we have managed to regain over the past 15 years. Self-confidence is an important value in this match." Simeone asserted that "the previous match has nothing to do with the city derby," adding: "I don't think it's related to Sunday's match. Both teams have good players, and we have to steer the match towards where we will hurt them." Regarding the involvement of Julián Álvarez, Simeone stated that the player "will be with us. We will decide whether he starts or comes on as a substitute in the second half." He also touched upon his relationship with José Mourinho, affirming: "I don't want to talk about what happened many years ago. I have great respect for Mourinho, I admire him, and he knows how much I appreciate him. I hope we can compete, as we did when we faced each other."
