Simeone downplays Álvarez’s form, praises team effort: “It’s not just strikers’ goals” | OneFootball

Far from getting carried away by the result, Diego Simeone chose to take it down a notch after the 5-0 victory against Betis in the Copa del Rey and focused on maintaining the collective path, even when asked about Julián Álvarez's goal drought, who missed the match due to a stomach upset. The Atlético de Madrid coach warned that the opponent is coming in wounded and once again called for the support of the fans for the upcoming challenges at home.

"I don't think it's a turning point," the coach clarified in a press conference after the morning training session. He highlighted the decisiveness shown but called for continuity in the approach, without falling into euphoria: "It was a well-played match, and we need to stay on the same path."

In this context, he once again supported the forward from Calchín, who has gone ten matches without scoring, eight of them in 2026. Simeone avoided personalizing the analysis and emphasized that the overall performance is the foundation of the results, beyond individual streaks.

The thrashing was achieved without goals from the Cordoban or Alexander Sørloth, the usual attacking duo. For the coach, this fact is significant: "We don't depend on individual names, but on collective play, set pieces, and what the team generates together," he explained, and praised the response of the defensive lines.

Another highlight was the debut of Ademola Lookman, who scored a goal and participated in two others. Simeone valued his offensive versatility and anticipated a progressive adaptation process to enhance his strengths within the scheme.

Additionally, he confirmed the absence of Pablo Barrios and mentioned Obed Vargas, Rodrigo Morenzo, Marcos Llorente, and Javi Serrano as alternatives to fill that midfield position.

Finally, he compared the 0-0 draw against Levante with the 5-0 win over Betis and explained that the matches respond to different contexts depending on the opponent. Looking ahead to the next league match, he insisted on focusing only on the immediate commitment and once again called for support from the stands: "We have to start from scratch, and we need our people."

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