Diego Simeone, the manager of Atletico Madrid, remained calm despite his team’s worst start in his 14-year tenure after a 1-1 draw against Alaves. This result extended their winless streak to three league games. Atletico currently sit in the lower half of the LaLiga table, earning just two points from their first three matches. They lost 2-1 to Espanyol and Ascoli and drew 1-1 at home against promoted Elche.
When asked if he was concerned about the team’s worst start since the 2009-10 season under Abel Resino, Simeone said he was focused on improvement. “The main goal is for the team to get better, and the points will follow,” he said. “We have a squad that can perform better than we are now. Today, we had chances to win, but we weren’t sharp enough in front of goal. In every game, we’ve taken the lead, which makes it unusual.”
Simeone’s calm demeanor stood in contrast to goalkeeper Jan Oblak’s frustration. “When things aren’t going well, you’re concerned,” Oblak said. “This isn’t what we hoped for. We only have two points, and it feels bad. We’re frustrated. What’s happening to us is hard to believe, and it’s our fault. The points aren’t coming, and we have to take responsibility.”
Atletico are aiming to end a four-year trophy drought since their last LaLiga title in 2021. Meanwhile, rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid have both won their first two league games and have yet to play this weekend. Simeone acknowledged the gap to the top teams but emphasized staying focused. “The distance to the leaders matters, but if I think about that, I lose sight of improving the team and earning points,” he said.
