The captain of Atletico explains the inconsistency, Simeone in the attacking shift
Atletico Madrid captain, Koke Resurreccion, said their inability to string together consistent victories is down to the busy schedule they face. The growing concern with the construction of games in recent years is not just a matter of the body, but the mind in Koke’s eyes.
Los Rojiblancos go into the second leg with Club Brugge who drew 3-3 in Belgium last week. Atletico led 2-0 in the first half, but Brugge made two attempts to come back. Manager Diego Simeone was not looking at anything in the second leg.
“The game is unpredictable; things don’t always go as planned. We will face the game in a way that we believe will work well. We need our fans, their energy comes down and fuels us, and we have to give back to them,” Simeone told the media.
Simeone in the pressure of favorites
Brugge travel to Madrid with the prize of a historic result on the line, as well as the confidence they can face Los Colchoneros head-to-head. Simeone was asked if he was afraid of the fact that their opposition had nothing to lose, and how he dealt with the favorites tag.
“I don’t think so, I see a team that plays well, is brave, and competes very well with a coach who does his best.”
“We are clear about our role in tomorrow’s game, the opponent will not change and it will be the same as yesterday.”
🤝🇭🇷🇦🇷 Ivan Leko, coach of Club Brugge, via Diego Simeone:
“As a player, he was good, a winner, a leader on the pitch. And as a coach, he was at Atlético Madrid for 15 years at this level, one of the biggest clubs in the world.
When you say Atlético Madrid, the first… pic.twitter.com/Nu4Sa9wDI
– Atlético Universe (@atletiuniverse) February 24, 2026
Atletico Madrid’s style of play and forward line
At the weekend Atletico Madrid returned to form, with Alexander Sorloth having one of his best performances of the season. He did so alongside Antoine Griezmann rather than Julian Alvarez though.
“Are they compatible? They have played many games together. They are compatible with the future and any game.”
Simeone admitted in recent weeks that his team struggles against low-blocks, and was asked if they are a team that likes to play on the break.
“The players we have lead us to that situation; with more attacking players we have improved in that aspect, and we need to recover our defensive strength, although it is not the worst in the league, and even so, we are far from where we should be. We need the balance that we always need.”
“I don’t know if we are the same [to Club Brugge] or not. I know they have always played well whenever we are against each other or at home.”
‘Consistency problems due to the calendar’ – Koke Resurreccion
Before Simeone appeared, captain Koke Resurreccion spoke to the media. He gave away a bit of their strategy in the second leg.
“In the first leg, we played a good first half, then they equalized, and then after going 2-3, they scored nothing. We need to be strong offensively and defensively; if we score a few goals, we achieve big things.”
Another frustration for the Metropolitano has been Atletico’s inconsistency, something Koke has put down to the tough schedule Los Colchoneros face.
“We have growing squads and rotations. But the quality of players is going down because they can’t maintain a high level in many games. It’s not just the physical condition, it’s also mental. But until we all sit down together and say ‘enough is enough,’ this will continue to happen in the system.”
