Simeone determined to search out aid after Atletico´s disappointing begin

Diego Simeone is looking for aid from Atletico Madrid’s poor begin to the season and is hoping they’ll earn their first victory towards Villarreal on Saturday.

It’s the worst begin Atletico have ever made to a league marketing campaign beneath Simeone, having drawn with Elche and Alaves since an opening-day loss to Espanyol.

It means Atletico sit seventeenth within the desk following the worldwide break, having did not construct on what appeared to be a promising switch window.

The stress has been piling on the Argentine, particularly with the beginning of their Champions League marketing campaign towards Premier League champions Liverpool approaching subsequent week.

“Successful can be a aid, that’s the fact, the best way I see it,” Simeone instructed a press convention. “I might really feel relieved; the duty is big.

“During the last 14 years, now we have constructed an unlimited legacy, and we should keep it. I’m ready the place I’m probably the most carefully watched individual, and I’ve to simply accept that.”

At the beginning of the season, Atletico got an 11.7% likelihood of lifting the LaLiga title by the Opta supercomputer as they appear to finish a four-year drought, however these hopes have slimmed down to simply 2.3% heading into MD4.

And the duty doesn’t get any simpler for them; Villarreal are unbeaten thus far this season, with two wins and a draw beneath their belts, and so they sit third within the desk, above Barcelona.

Villarreal presently have the very best shot conversion price within the Spanish top-flight (15.4%), with Atletico’s the fifth-lowest at this stage (7%).

Simeone is beneath no phantasm concerning the robust activity forward, however believes his crew have what it takes to trigger Villarreal issues.

“We’ve tried to establish the errors that prevented us from scoring extra factors,” he added. “And we’ve tried to accentuate our work in that space.

“That was an important half. Gamers arrived with their nationwide groups drained, in ache… We hope they are often in the very best form for the match.

“They [Villarreal] play a really outlined fashion, very tight, permitting them to counterattack with pace down the wings. With our weapons and instruments, we wish to harm our opponents.”

Baaaack pic.twitter.com/No5zAcNRHD

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) September 11, 2025

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Atletico Madrid – Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann, who’s on his longest aim drought in his LaLiga profession (19 video games), has solely had two pictures on aim in his first three league video games this season.

He can be hoping to finish that run on Saturday, although, as he has been concerned in seven targets in his final seven video games towards Villarreal within the top-flight (three targets and 4 assists).

Villarreal – Gerard Moreno

Gerard Moreno has scored three targets in eight visits to the Metropolitano in LaLiga. No away participant has scored extra targets at Atletico’s new residence floor within the competitors (Borja Mayoral, Enes Unal and Leo Baptistao even have three).

Nonetheless, he has solely performed one recreation this season and is but to attain from his 4 pictures, which have been value 0.3 anticipated targets (xG).

MATCH PREDICTION: ATLETICO MADRID WIN

Atletico have endured a torrid begin to the season, failing to win their first three matches (D2 L1), their worst begin after their first three video games since 2009-10, beneath Abel Resino (did not win first 5 D3 L2).

Nonetheless, Atletico haven’t misplaced any of their final 5 matches towards Villarreal in LaLiga (W2 D3), though they’ve drawn the final two. They’ve by no means had three consecutive attracts towards the Yellow Submarine within the competitors earlier than, although.

Atletico have conceded a minimum of one aim in every of their final eight LaLiga matches towards Villarreal (13 targets in complete), and in the event that they concede a aim, they are going to endure their worst run with out holding a clear sheet towards Villarreal within the competitors (9 matches).

Villarreal have picked up factors in eight of their final 11 away video games towards Atletico in LaLiga (W3 D5 L3).

They’re additionally on a nine-match unbeaten streak in LaLiga (W8 D1), although they haven’t gone 10 or extra with out defeat within the competitors since December 2020 beneath Unai Emery (W5 D7).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Atletico Madrid – 51.2%

Draw – 24.3%

Villarreal – 24.4%