Atletico caoch Simeone optimistic for coming season

Atletico Madrid may have failed up to their incredible achievements in the 2013/14 season when they won the Spanish BBVA Primera Liga title and reached the final of the Champions League, but coach Diego Simeone is still pleased with his side's performance in the campaign which has just finished.

Atletico finished third behind Barca and Real Madrid and reached the last eight in Europe, before losing to their city rivals, who they had previously beaten over the campaign.

"It was a very positive season," said Simeone in sports paper, Diario AS.

"We won the Spanish Supercup, which was very positive and finishing third allows us to continue to grow as a side and to return to the Champions League," he said.

However, as any ambitious coach the Argentinean is already looking ahead to the coming campaign.

"We are not going to have many changes because the players who do come will be those who can compete and they will cover weak points in the side, but overall we will maintain the basis of the side," he said.

Someone also pointed out that last season saw Atletico lose players such as Diego Costa, Thibaut Courtois and Felipe Luis to Chelsea, before adding that although there would not be many new faces, the side did need a change, all be it in tactics.

"We are in an important situation and the team needs a new stimulus. It is not easy for a coach to be so long with the same players and it's not easy for the players to be with a coach for so long. So we need a change, some movement to the side can take a step forward," he said.

Simeone commented that the change could be repositioning midfielder Koke in a midfield holding role.

"This year will be different and we are not going to lose five first choice players, we are going to be able to build on what we did well last year," he insisted. Endi