The head coach of Atletico Madrid, Diego Pablo Simeone, spoke at the press conference before the anticipated match against Real Madrid in the seventh round of the Spanish league.

Simeone confirmed that he does not dwell on the past and focuses only on the present, praising Real Madrid's development this season: "I do not dwell on what happened in the past; I live in the present. Real Madrid has greatly improved in collective play and attacks effectively in organized offensive situations. Defensively, there is clear work to pressure in higher areas, which is why they have won the six matches they have played so far."

Regarding the importance of coaches and their influence, the Argentine coach said: "I am not the right person to talk about Real Madrid's changes. As for coaches, I do not believe we are the decisive factor. The most important and greatest in this game are the players; they are the ones who ultimately make the difference."

Simeone spoke about the nature of the match, stating: "When the match starts, the differences in the standings do not show. However, during the course of the game, the balance may lean towards the team that has more points, which is why they are at the top. I expect a closed match in the midfield, and the transitions will be crucial. This is how I see this encounter."

On the intensity of the competition and Atletico's development: "We have eight new players who joined at the beginning of the season and seven from the previous season. We are in a phase of building a better team. We have shown good things in this process, and we hope to continue developing match by match."

Regarding Julian Alvarez and Mbappe: "These matters concern you. I do not evaluate opponents. Julian shows great commitment to the club and the team, and the fans love him a lot. I hope he can, along with his teammates, form a strong team."

As for Vinicius Junior and his role in Real Madrid, Simeone succinctly said: "This question is not within my jurisdiction."

He continued: "Who has more pressure than the other? We do not evaluate things that way. Our focus is on how to approach the match and our style of play. We need to regain our energy after three intense matches. We will play four matches in nine days, and the effort will depend a lot on mentality and commitment."

On the team: "Baina will start in one of the matches, whether this one or the next one or against Celta. We will see what the team needs and what he can offer with his experience and quality."

Regarding the Italian players Raspadori and Matteo: "We expect more from them. Raspadori is training harder; we want him to provide us with goals and collective vision. And Matteo as well; Hanko may participate, and I see him well; I have not finalized the lineup yet."

At the end of the conference, Simeone defended Julian Alvarez, affirming his complete confidence in him: "I do not see that he is under any pressure. Last season, he scored his first goal in the fourth or fifth match and then finished the season with 18 goals in the league. He is an exceptional player and the best we have, and we must keep him."