Sampaoli wants to find 'real Sevilla' after horrid week

Manager's remarks comes after visitors suffer 3-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid on Sunday

MADRID: Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli claimed he has to rediscover the "real Sevilla" during the international break after Antoine Griezmann teed up Diego Godin's opener and then struck a stunning free-kick as Atletico Madrid compounded a week to forget Sevillistas Los Blanquirrojos in a 3-1 win on Sunday.

Koke added Atletico's third before Joaquin Correa registered a consolation for the visitors.

Sampaoli’s men were dumped out of the Champions League by Atletico's quarter-final opponents Leicester City on Wednesday and have seen their lead over Diego Simeone’s men in third place in La Liga now whittled down to just two points, and the coach believes he needs to find the solution to his side’s poor run of form in the last two weeks, where his team has now gone four games without a win..

"Logically the league is now a long way off,” said Sampaoli. “Now we have to look at the possibility of automatically qualifying for the Champions League.

"It is normal when you don't achieve what you want, which is to win, there is frustration and bitterness. We have come from a very hard blow to take and now we have to find solutions and the real Sevilla."

A third straight league win moves Atletico seven points clear of Real Sociedad and Villarreal in the battle for fourth, and the club captain Gabi urged his team to cement third place, which will give 2015-16 Champions League finalist automatic qualification to the Europe’s premier club tournament.

"We have won three vital points, which changes our objective," said Gabi. "The challenge for fourth is now a long way off, we are going for third."

During the match, Atletico fans also celebrated the return of Fernando Torres for the first time since he was knocked unconscious in a sickening head clash at Deportivo la Coruna on March 2.