Club World Cup: Simeone warns side about competitive Sounders

Atletico have their future at stake in the Club World Cup against Seattle Sounders. 

Before the match, Diego Pablo Simeone pointed out the dangers of the American team, which also comes to the match with the obligation to win.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said that their next opponent in the FIFA Club World Cup, Seattle Sounders, “is a competitive team that plays well”.

“It’s a competitive team that has a clear idea of what it plays for. The game concept they use is clear.

They have a lot of people offensively, they play the ball out from the back, whether with three or four,” Simeone said in a press conference.

“They have criteria to play, to have depth, to have people inside the box,” he added, about the U.S. team.

Simeone warned that in their debut against Botafogo, a 1-2 victory for the Brazilians, who ended up holding to their lead, the Americans were a team that could have equalised.

“I think it was a good match, the draw could have come from the situations they generated. We can’t imagine anything other than this for tomorrow,” said the Argentine coach.

Regarding Atletico’s need to win with goal difference to compete for a place in the knockout rounds, Simeone said not to think about it “out of respect for the rival” and “because football has something wonderful which is that everyone can compete in the same way”.

In addition, he recalled that “almost all the matches have been resolved with few goals” in this championship, with some exceptions, such as his own debut against Paris Saint-Germain (4-0).

On the sidelines of the duel, the coach was also asked about Franco Mastantuono, River’s young gem who will play this coming season at Real Madrid. ‘El Cholo’ praised his compatriot, noting that “he is a boy who is growing very quickly”.

“I hope that this is a big step for the boy, which is very important for his career, to arrive at Real Madrid. I wish him all the best,” said Simeone about the signing of Mastantuono for his great rival.

Simeone recalled that River Plate – where his sons were educated – “has been one of the best teams, possibly in the world, to generate important and representative footballers at world level”, he said.