Atletico Madrid regroup after Valencia loss ahead of Champions League clash with Lazio

The Spanish giants are determined to bounce back after a disappointing 3-0 La Liga defeat to Valencia at Mestalla over the weekend.

Despite the setback, Atletico's seasoned coach, Diego Simeone, exuded confidence and optimism in his pre-match statements. "We have a way of playing," he emphasized, "the other day the game didn't start in the best way, it went bad quickly. We played a bad game, and another one comes soon. 

"The Champions League is coming, a competition that has been very difficult for us, and we face it with enthusiasm and as a great challenge that we have outstanding."

Simeone, a former Lazio player himself, expressed his anticipation at returning to the Stadio Olimpico and competing in front of the passionate Lazio fans. The defeat to Valencia, according to Simeone, was an anomaly in their recent form, where they had conceded only once in three matches.

One intriguing challenge for Simeone is the left wing-back position, which has seen various players vying for the role. Rodrigo Riquelme was chosen over Javi Galan and Samuel Lino against Valencia. 

Simeone explained, "All three have different characteristics. Galan is a winger converted into a winger or a carrilero with more defensive traits than offensive, Riquelme with spaces can generate quick transitions, and Lino is more associative, with an associative game."

Despite expectations that Galan would replace Yannick Carrasco, Simeone appears to favour a more attacking approach on the left, entrusting Lino and Riquelme with the task.

As Atletico prepare to face Lazio, they aim to put the Valencia setback behind them and make a strong start to their Champions League campaign, fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead.

 

Read More: La Liga roundup: Real Madrid see off Real Sociedad to maintain perfect start (planetsport.com)