Simeone now has his number nines for Bilbao | OneFootball

By match four, Simeone finally has orthodox strikers again, with Julián Álvarez reintegrated and new arrival Jonathan David travelling to San Mamés after three training sessions.

According to as.com, the first three rounds forced improvisation. Álvarez managed only a 24 minute cameo against Villarreal, met by whistles, missed the opener through poor form and the Sevilla trip through illness, while Sorloth has been in the treatment room for a month.

David arrives on loan with a 25 million option to buy and, at 26, still has plenty to offer. He hit 77 goals in 136 games across his last three seasons in France, then managed eight in 46 at Juventus and now seeks a rebound. Simeone said it is different working with positional strikers than second line playmakers, that football changes with the players, and he hopes each contributes in the minutes they get.

Lookman has guided David in the dressing room and will remain an attacking reference in Bilbao, but not as a centre forward. The tweak delivered, with Baena, Kang-in Lee, Giuliano and Lookman breaking from deep. Baena struck twice and Lookman recorded his first of the season.

There is now firepower from the bench too, with Álvarez and David available and Arnau Ortiz as an alternative. Even with recognised number nines back, Simeone will persist with the shape that paid off in Sevilla.

Source: as.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”