Soccer-Simeone urges entire Atletico team to contribute with goals


Soccer Football - Champions League - FC Salzburg v Atletico Madrid - Red Bull Arena Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria - January 29, 2025 Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone reacts REUTERS/Gintare Karpaviciute

(Reuters) - Atletico Madrid need goals from all areas of the pitch to keep their LaLiga title charge alive, manager Diego Simeone said on Friday ahead of his side's home game against Mallorca.

Atleti, after two winless games against Leganes and Villarreal, are second in the LaLiga standings with 45 points and will host Mallorca on Saturday.

Mallorca have won only twice in their last six games and are sixth with 30 points.

"We need goals in all facets of the game. Not to mention the defenders too, especially from set pieces," Simeone told reporters on Friday.

"We need to work, create situations similar to those that may arise in matches so that, after repetition, the calmness to resolve goal situations appears."

Despite trailing top-placed Real Madrid by four points, Simeone said he is focused on Saturday's game against a tough opponent.

"We take it one game at a time, knowing the needs of our opponents and our own," the 54-year-old said.

"I imagine that our opponents will play in 5-4-1 with (Vedat) Muriqi or (Cyle) Larin, taking advantage of their aerial play and counterattacks."

Alexander Sorloth, who has scored eight league goals in 18 games, missed three games in all competitions before coming off the bench in the second half of Atleti's 4-1 win in the Champions League over Salzburg on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old will be available against Mallorca but Simeone remained tight-lipped on his starting line-up.

"He already had 35 minutes the other day to feel part of the team again after his short injury. We'll see who starts tomorrow, (Angel) Correa is fine, (Antoine) Griezmann, Sorloth is eager...," Simeone added.

Defender Cesar Azpilicueta might replace Javi Galan, who sprained his ankle in the Champions League clash against Bayer Leverkusen after Simeone said Atleti "need him and hope he can always be available."

(Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru)

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