Simeone: Atletico effort in Madrid derby will depend on sacrifice

Diego Simeone is focused on his Atletico Madrid team's ability to compete amid a busy schedule rather than history, ahead of their LaLiga clash with rivals Real Madrid. 

The Madrid derby at Riyadh Air Metropolitano will be Atletico's fourth fixture in nine days, having played twice in the top flight and once in the Champions League.

Simeone's team have also had less rest than Madrid, having beaten Rayo Vallecano 3-2 on Wednesday, 24 hours after Los Blancos thumped Levante 4-1. 

Atletico have endured an indifferent start to the 2025-26 campaign, taking nine points from their first six matches, nine less than league leaders Madrid, who are the only side in the division to still have a perfect record at this stage. 

"We are just focusing on preparing for the match and ending this run of four matches in nine days," Simeone told reporters on Friday.

"Being close to the players, who have to make a huge effort, with only three days' rest. The effort will depend on the mind, on sacrifice."

Simeone will equal Real Madrid's Miguel Munoz (28) as the manager to take charge of the most Madrid derbies in the history of the competition.

And he has often relished these crunch clashes, with Atletico having not lost any of their last five matches against their city rivals in LaLiga (won one, drawn four). 

They could equal their best ever run without defeat against Los Blancos in the competition, achieved in February 2016, also under the Argentine's stewardship (played six; won four, drawn two). 

"I don't dwell on the past, I live in the present," Simeone added. 

"[Real] Madrid have improved their team play, they attack well positionally and the coach has worked on their defence, getting them to press higher up the pitch, which is why they've won all their games."

Simeone also highlighted that his team's start to the season was perhaps down to the number of additions during the recent transfer window. 

Overall, 11 new faces arrived at the club, headlined by the capture of Alex Baena from Villarreal in a reported €42m deal. 

"We have eight new players and seven from last season. We are in the process of trying to become a better team," Simeone said. 

"We have done some good things and others that need improvement in this first stage of the journey. I hope we evolve, match after match, getting better and better."

Atletico will also be looking to use home advantage, having lost only one of their last 22 LaLiga matches at the Metropolitano (won 16, drawn five). 

They have also scored at least one goal in each of their last 20 (45 goals in total, 2.25 average), their best streak in the competition since a 25-game run between January 2023 and March 2024.