Diego Simeone says Atletico Madrid haven’t any selection however to handle their gamers’ minutes with the brand new Champions League format dialling up the depth of their schedule.
Atleti have made a optimistic begin to the season, registering three wins and two attracts from their first 5 matches in LaLiga to match Actual Madrid’s tempo and sit 4 factors adrift of leaders Barcelona.
In addition they made a profitable begin to their Champions League marketing campaign in midweek, preventing again to beat RB Leipzig 2-1 with a last-gasp winner from Jose Maria Gimenez.
With eight European league-phase video games to play this time period, Atleti face an extremely busy schedule, with no free midweek slots till December, excluding worldwide breaks.
After going to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, Los Colchoneros go to Celta Vigo on Thursday then face Actual Madrid, Benfica and Actual Sociedad within the house of every week.
“It makes us attempt to handle the squad in one of the simplest ways however the difficulties come within the hours approaching the sport, when we have to win,” Simeone mentioned forward of Sunday’s journey throughout the Spanish capital.
“The phrase rotation shouldn’t be good, it is a chance for many who play and you can’t all the time repeat the identical gamers, as a result of then you’re on the way in which to vital accidents as we now have seen.
“On our bodily aspect, we now have to attempt to handle their well being in one of the simplest ways. Solely with well being can we now have a workforce.
“On the pitch there’s little to work within the time we now have left for every sport, particularly when it’s Thursday and Sunday.”
It’s derby day pic.twitter.com/dVubvJHAHx
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) September 22, 2024
