Atlético gear up for the derby after comeback win over Rayo | OneFootball

Atlético de Madrid doesn’t rest and continues with their training sessions. After yesterday’s dramatic comeback against Rayo Vallecano with three goals from Julián Álvarez, the frenetic schedule goes on and the rojiblancos are already training with their eyes, minds, and souls set on the derby against Real Madrid this weekend at the Metropolitano, one of the most important matches of every season.

Simeone’s players completed an intense training session this morning. Except for those who started against Rayo, who worked out in the gym, Cholo was able to count on all healthy first-team players. Additionally, some of Fernando Torres’s pupils from Atlético Madrileño, such as Taufik Seidu, who were also called up for yesterday’s match, were present.

On the other hand, Alexander Sørloth is training with Madrid in mind after serving his suspension, and José María Giménez continues his progressive return at a good pace. The only absences were Thiago Almada and Johnny Cardoso, who are still recovering from their respective injuries. Moreover, during some exercises, Simeone could be seen closely monitoring Álex Baena, who ultimately couldn’t play any minutes due to the situation in the match and is now aiming for the derby as the stage for his return.

Order on the Field, the Solution

Atlético de Madrid defeated Rayo Vallecano three goals to two, but once again suffered greatly due to a lack of effectiveness and defensive solidity. These are the team’s two major problems this season, for which Cholo seems to have found a solution—one he reiterated several times in the post-match press conference: maintaining order on the field.

For this reason, the Argentine coach has gotten down to work, and in today’s training session, the first signs of his insistence on maintaining the formation’s order and the players’ positions on the field—both responsible (along with Julián) for the comeback—could be seen. In the first exercises, besides rehearsing some offensive plays, the focus was on passing, triangulations, and one-twos. Afterwards, with Simeone closely watching his players, they practiced combination play in tight spaces, making the most of the available space. The coaching staff emphasized playing higher up the pitch and pressing with more intensity, as well as anticipation, controlling the timing, and boldness.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.