Atletico's Simeone Puts Real Derby Out of His Mind to Focus on Getafe Clash

Soccer Football - Champions League - Atletico Madrid v Slovan Bratislava - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - December 11, 2024 Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone before the match REUTERS/Juan Medina/ File Photo
Soccer Football - Champions League - Atletico Madrid v Slovan Bratislava - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - December 11, 2024 Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone before the match REUTERS/Juan Medina/ File Photo
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Atletico's Simeone Puts Real Derby Out of His Mind to Focus on Getafe Clash

Soccer Football - Champions League - Atletico Madrid v Slovan Bratislava - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - December 11, 2024 Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone before the match REUTERS/Juan Medina/ File Photo
Soccer Football - Champions League - Atletico Madrid v Slovan Bratislava - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - December 11, 2024 Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone before the match REUTERS/Juan Medina/ File Photo

A pivotal trip to LaLiga leaders Real Madrid awaits this weekend for Atletico Madrid, who are just a point behind in the standings, but coach Diego Simeone is putting all his focus on Tuesday's Copa del Rey quarter-final against Getafe.

Getafe are 14th in LaLiga, three points above the relegation zone. However, the Jose Bordalas-led team are yet to lose a game this calendar year, and their six-match unbeaten streak includes a 1-1 draw with Barcelona.

"We live from match to match, from day to day. There is no other thought than tomorrow's game," Simeone told reporters on Monday, Reuters reported.

"The profile of the coach and the team is very clear. The last few games they have played, with Real Sociedad, Barcelona and Sevilla, speak of a great intensity of play.

"They know what they are playing for, and when a team knows what they are playing for, they are always dangerous."

Getafe have not beaten Atletico since 2011, but Simeone's side had to dig deep to clinch a 1-0 win in their last meeting in December.

A win over Getafe will mean more matches for Atletico in an already busy calendar as they try to secure their first LaLiga title since 2020-21 and play in the Champions League knockout stage, but the coach said he was not concerned.

"Obviously we all have the objective of going through and reaching the final of the Copa del Rey," he said.

"I can't imagine anything other than trying to take the game to where we can hurt Getafe to stay in the competition."



Real Madrid Trusting New Improvised Defense to Hold on to La Liga Lead

Football - LaL iga - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - February 8, 2025 Real Madrid's Raul Asencio reacts at the end of the match. (Reuters)
Football - LaL iga - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - February 8, 2025 Real Madrid's Raul Asencio reacts at the end of the match. (Reuters)
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Real Madrid Trusting New Improvised Defense to Hold on to La Liga Lead

Football - LaL iga - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - February 8, 2025 Real Madrid's Raul Asencio reacts at the end of the match. (Reuters)
Football - LaL iga - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - February 8, 2025 Real Madrid's Raul Asencio reacts at the end of the match. (Reuters)

Real Madrid will have to stick to its improvised back line when it tries to hold on to its narrow lead in La Liga this weekend.

Madrid visits Osasuna on Saturday with a one-point lead over Atletico Madrid and a two-point advantage over Barcelona.

Depleted of defenders, coach Carlo Ancelotti fielded a back line that played together for the first time on Tuesday and won at Manchester City 3-2 in the first leg of the Champions League playoffs.

Ferland Mendy, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Raúl Asencio and Federico Valverde are expected to start in defense again this weekend.

Ancelotti doesn't have much choice. Injuries have robbed him of central defenders Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba and right backs Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vázquez.

But the coach was pleasantly surprised by how well this new back line held up at Man City.

Tchouaméni is a midfielder plugged into the central defense and Valverde is also out of position at right back. Like Tchouaméni, Asencio is a B team player, who turned 22 on Thursday.

“The back four had never played together, not even in training,” Ancelotti said this week.

“They were absolutely fantastic. Tchouaméni has come in for a lot of criticism but he was incredible. Asencio’s maturity continues to surprise people and Valverde and Mendy were fantastic. We’ve been able to bring something really positive out of an emergency situation.”

Ancelotti said the whole team has put in the extra effort to help defensively and keep the squad well balanced.

“I always say that defending is about the attitude of the whole team," Ancelotti said. "We defended well as a unit (against City). The team delivered a well-rehearsed defensive display.”

The injuries have prevented Ancelotti from rotating the squad and resting players ahead of the decisive Champions League second leg at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium next week.

“We need Rüdiger and Alaba for the return leg and I think they’ll be available,” Ancelotti said.

Tight at the top In La Liga, Madrid is coming off a 1-1 draw at home against Atletico. Barcelona took advantage of that result to close the gap on the Madrid rivals.

The Catalan club, unbeaten this year with nine wins and two draws, will host sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano on Monday.

Atletico handed Barcelona its last loss in December, and will host mid-table Celta Vigo on Saturday. Diego Simeone's team has only one defeat — 1-0 at Leganes in January — in its last 22 games across all tournaments.

Elsewhere, fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao visits Espanyol, and fifth-placed Villarreal hosts Valencia. Sevilla is at last-placed Valladolid and Real Betis hosts Real Sociedad.