Simeone says Atletico still searching for team rhythm before new campaign

Diego Simeone says Atletico de Madrid are not yet ready for the start of the new campaign, with only nine days remaining and 10 internationals still absent after featuring in the semi-finals and final of the World Cup.

Atletico ended their Asian tour with a defeat by Manchester City, but Simeone’s main concern after the match was the lack of preparation time available to work with his full squad. The players involved in the latter stages of the tournament have been given their scheduled holidays, leaving the Atletico manager unable to train with his complete group.

“Honestly, I am worried because there are only nine days left before the competition begins,” said Simeone. “We have not yet been able to train together as a group, or even play as a team. We will certainly face some difficulties, and we must prepare for them now.”

The defeat contained one positive for Atletico, with young forward Jorge Dominguez scoring his first goal for the senior side. The performance prompted strong praise from Simeone, who believes the player emerging from the club’s youth system can make a meaningful contribution to the first team.

Simeone said there was no fixed age limit for players seeking to establish themselves at the highest level and suggested Dominguez would have an opportunity to remain involved if he continued to progress.

“We know that he is an important player and that he can help us,” said the Argentine. “For me, there is no maximum age for footballers. If they do not have the ability to prove their worth, they will not be part of the team. If he continues in this way, it is clear that we have an important player who is developing.”

The Atletico manager also stressed the need to manage Dominguez’s development carefully rather than placing too much pressure on him too quickly.

“We have to support him, not rush him into playing, and protect him,” Simeone added. “We will look after him because he is a young player who can help us.”

Simeone also discussed new signing Kang-in Lee, who made a brief appearance against Manchester City. The South Korea international will need time to adapt to his new surroundings and to reach the physical level expected by his manager and team-mates.

“He will gradually find the rhythm of play that he needs and that the team needs,” Simeone said. “We will certainly need the adaptation period that all footballers go through, especially physically.”

The manager has yet to decide where Kang-in Lee will play regularly, but he believes the player’s versatility gives Atletico several tactical options. The South Korean can operate on either wing, in a left-sided midfield role or as an attacking midfielder.

“I don’t know, because he can play on the right wing, as an inside left winger, as a left midfielder, or as an attacking midfielder,” Simeone said. “He is a footballer who can adapt to different systems because of his characteristics, and we will try to put him in the position where we believe he will benefit the team.”

With the new campaign approaching, Simeone must now integrate his returning internationals, continue Kang-in Lee’s adjustment and ensure Dominguez’s progress is handled carefully while Atletico attempt to build a coherent team in limited time.