Simeone demands more from table-topping Atletico

Late winner from Partey secures 1-0 victory over Levante

MADRID: Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has demanded more from his side in the second half of the season despite looking down on Spanish football’s perennial powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Thomas Partey’s late winner in a 1-0 victory over Levante on Saturday moved Los Rojiblancos two points clear of European champions Barcelona at the top of the table, albeit having played a game more.

Atletico’s success so far this season has been built on a rock solid defence that has conceded just eight goals in 18 league games.

An 11th cleansheet of the campaign was needed to see off bottom of the table Levante, though their struggle for goals continued as big summer signings Jackson Martinez and Luciano Vietto again failed to find the net.



And Simeone is well aware his side need more firepower to have any chance of repeating their incredible feat of beating Barca and Madrid to the title two years ago.

“We have one game to go until the end of the first half of the season, but leading the league will not distract us from the improvements we need,” said Simeone. “I think we can play better, have more speed in our game, be more decisive, consistent, make better choices in the final third and score more goals. That is what concerns me.”

Simeone certainly won’t be lacking options in the coming months despite Atletico’s involvement on three fronts as they have also reached the last 16 of the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.



Argentine internationals Augusto Fernandez and Matias Kranevitter will be free to feature for the first time against Rayo Vallecano in the Cup in midweek after completing moves from Celta Vigo and River Plate respectively.

And Partey’s game-changing displays from the bench against Levante and in setting up Angel Correa for the opening goal in a 2-0 win over Rayo earlier in the week have made the young Ghanaian a candidate to displace the more established Koke and Gabi from Simeone’s preferred starting line-up.



Espanyol put brakes on Barca

Barcelona dropped points for the third time in four league games as they were held 0-0 by local rivals Espanyol in a heated Catalan derby on Saturday.

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez hit the woodwork for Barca either side of half-time, but Espanyol’s physical approach was rewarded with a first point against Barca in eight matches.

“The result in general was fair based on what both teams created, although I thought we had a lot of chances,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique. 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2016.

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