• Chronicle: At Atlético the pizza is burned again in the Metropolitan

Simeone was not aware of the damage Joao Felix had suffered until the referee approached and warned him of what had happened. Then the doctor would do it. “I didn't think so much, but the referee came to tell me that he had bent his ankle. It is an important twist, ”admitted the rojiblanco coach, aware that, as it was, he could lose his young pearl for a few games. It will be about two weeks (4-6 games) what the Portuguese missed.

This was announced by the medical team after the tests: "Grade II sprain of the external lateral ligament of the right ankle." A year ago, when he played for Benfica, Joao was already 20 days off due to an ankle injury. Another setback for the trident, which cannot be repeated in Tuesday's duel against Leverkusen.

But Simeone didn't just spin his star's injury. He was still trying to digest the third draw in the consecutive Wanda: Celta, Real Madrid and, yesterday, Valencia. Since that agonizing victory with a final comeback against Eibar (September 1), where the team became leader after a full three wins, almost two months have passed.

"We are going to improve"

In between, the conquest of Mallorca and Moscow, in the Champions League, against Lokomotiv. "We are a new team and we have to get used to the constancy," insisted Cholo, after matching his worst start in LaLiga, that of last year. Along the same lines, Koke , the rojiblanco captain: "It is an ambitious project and we will all improve".

The fact is that Wanda has gone from being a fort (last season only tied three games in LaLiga and lost one) to be a vulnerable lawn, where up to three teams have left with a point in their pocket. Hence, Atlético has won only one of its last four duels and two of the last eight. «I knew we had a lot of work ahead. There are some who are looking guilty and there are others who choose to work, ”the Argentine coach said in his speech.

That, and the lack of goal, of course. Because he could only do it against Valencia. Diego Costa's was the eighth in nine league games of Atlético. «It is difficult to give advice to players with as much hierarchy as Costa or Morata. They know that the only way is to work and insist, to be simpler in resolutions, ”was Simeone's recommendation, until his project carbureted.

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  • Atlético de Madrid
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