Simeone salutes Guardiola, talks summer plans before Villarreal tilt

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 05: Pep Guardiola manager of Manchester City confronts Diego Simeone head coach of Atletico Madrid during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at City of Manchester Stadium on April 5, 2022 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone looked back on the season and looked ahead to summer transfer priorities as he spoke in his final pre-match press conference before Sunday’s visit to Villarreal. “To break down the season a bit, I believe we’ve improved a lot on the offensive end, as we’re a team that, despite the criticism, plays well, attacks well, we scored a lot of goals in the Champions League, we scored a lot of goals in La Liga, and the Copa del Rey is no different, but we need to improve defensively,” Simeone explained.

“Valance matters; Arsenal, in my view, is the most balanced team among those competing at the highest level, and, well, that speaks to the energy we need across all facets of the game. So hopefully, we can bring that in to find the balance that teams need. ” View this post on Instagram Simeone on aiming for third place “It’s clear that tomorrow’s match is important if we want to finish the league season stronger than we have all season, because we’ve always been below third place, if I’m not mistaken.

Let’s hope we can stay focused on playing a good game and, as a result, finish as high as possible, which in this case would be third place. “It’s clear that we’re going to face a team that wants to finish on a high note, with (Dani) Parejo’s departure, the coach’s departure, and their final home game, all while maintaining the classic style that Villarreal has displayed throughout the league season, which has defined their play so well. We’ll see how it plays out on the field.

” Simeone on Obed Vargas “It’s clear that adapting to Atlético de Madrid and to La Liga in general isn’t easy for many players. Imagine the guys coming from other leagues. But (Vargas) is a hard-working guy, eager to grow, eager to evolve, willing to listen, and, above all, to follow what the coach and the team need.