Online Reporter
ATLETICO Madrid overhauled their squad this summer in the hope of being able to compete with giants Barcelona and Real Madrid for the Spanish football title but have started LaLiga with one point from a possible six.
Diego Simeone’s side visit Alaves today already playing catch-up to their rivals, after their worst start to a season since 2011 – months before the Argentine coach took the helm.
With several new players and a shortened pre-season because of their Club World Cup participation, perhaps it is no great surprise that Atletico have got off to a slow start.
However, they cannot afford to let champions Barcelona and a re-energised Real Madrid under Xabi Alonso escape them.
Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao, who finished in the top five last season, have also started the season with two wins apiece.
Atletico began the season with a surprise 2-1 defeat at Espanyol and then were held to a 1-1 draw by promoted side Elche at home.
Simeone said he had expected the team to stutter at the start of the campaign but believes they will improve.
“I’m left with the belief that the team is still looking for its best chance to compete, and we’ll find it as we go along,” explained the coach.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect to do very, very, very well at the start. We have things to do.”
Simeone said his team had already shown signs of improvement between the two matches. “From the Espanyol game to today, there was growth – we played better,” explained the Argentinian.
Antoine Griezmann, for so long the team’s talisman, did not start either of the first two matches and now at 34 appears to be an option from the bench for Simeone.
The French forward was in poor form for much of the second half of last season as Atletico’s challenges for silverware collapsed, leaving the Rojiblancos planning a rebuild.
Fixtures
Today: Alaves v Atletico Madrid (5pm), Real Oviedo v Real Sociedad (7pm), Girona v Sevilla (7:30pm), Real Madrid v Mallorca (9:30pm)
Tomorrow: Celta Vigo v Villarreal (5pm), Real Betis v Athletic Bilbao (7pm), Espanyol v Osasuna (7:30pm), Rayo Vallecano v Barcelona (9:30pm). – AFP Sport
