[ad_1]
Atlético de Madrid have been flying this season, starting the campaign with consistency and solidity absent elsewhere in Madrid or in the Catalan capital of Barcelona.
Atlético has operated with a new form of cholismo, something more tactically flexible and attractive to the eye than the 4-4-2 with which coach Diego Simeone made a name for himself.
A key element of this new system is Marcos Llorente, Atlético’s versatile and super-fit midfielder. As smart as he is tough, Llorente has the ability to adapt to whatever system Cholo chooses.
Atlético suffered a setback last weekend when they lost the Madrid derby to hated neighbor Real Madrid, missing the opportunity to put a great distance between themselves and their more aristocratic rivals.
Llorente insists, however, that the whole team is simply taking things one game at a time. “The real goal is to win every game,” Llorente told Marca.
“There is a lot to do until La Liga ends and no one has won La Liga in December. That’s why we’re only thinking about Saturday. We have done well this way and we don’t want to get out of that line of thought.
“We know that there are no favorites at the moment. One day you are awake, the next day you are depressed. You just have to think about Saturday. That is the line we follow and with which we have done well ”.
Image courtesy of Marca
Especially in a season as condensed as this one, rigor, tenacity and consistency are imperatives for any team looking to mount a serious title challenge. Llorente, and Atlético, know it.
“To win La Liga you need consistency and the ability to take things match by match,” continued Llorente. “When the Champions League arrives, one thinks of the Champions League. Focus on each game to the fullest. If you think beyond that, things could go wrong. “
Llorente credited Simeone with his change in position, citing a game against Valencia last season in which he went from defensive pivot to more offensive midfielder. He hasn’t looked back since.
“The change started at Mestalla, when I made the first goal,” said Llorente. “From that moment on, the coach had in mind to get taller. At Anfield he did it and it turned out so well that he continues to count on me in that position. After the quarantine it went very well, and I think it’s good that I can contribute in different positions.
Image courtesy of Marca
“If I didn’t know Simeone, there is a good chance that he would continue to play as a pivot. All the credit for having seen me in another position belongs to Cholo. There are coaches who see things and he is one of them.
“Sometimes [his ideas] it goes well, other times bad. With me he was absolutely right. If it goes wrong, it may depend a bit on the player, but for me it turned out very well and I have the ability to play in a very different position. The credit goes to him for seeing it.
“I will always be grateful to him for discovering me in that position. He is a different coach and I am learning a lot from him. Every training with Simeone is like a war, with brutal intensity. It’s something you take home with you every day. I’m sure I have a lot to learn from him. “
Featured image courtesy of Marca
