Atleti wary of congestion ahead of Madrid derby
Atletico Madrid's meeting with Celta Vigo on Friday gives it less time to prepare for its derby with Real Madrid, with Diego Simeone looking to reduce player workloads in training.
Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-2 to move to second in LaLiga and has five days to prepare for Monday's clash with Los Colchoneros, the only team to beat Los Blancos last season.
Atleti managed a 3-1 win over Madrid last September – which remains its most recent league loss – before dumping it out of the Copa del Rey in January.
The scheduling of Friday's trip to Celta puts Simeone's men at something of a disadvantage to their rival, causing them to keep a close eye on players' conditioning.
"We are trying to manage it in the best way possible," Simeone said. "We have not changed much, trying to make the training sessions based on the players' workloads so that they arrive at the match in the best possible way."
Fixture congestion is an ongoing concern in European football, with the packed calendar being repeatedly criticised amid a spate of injuries to high-profile players, most notably Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
"They are the ones who manage everything, all the rest of us are there to accompany them, to try to manage," Simeone said. "But the only ones who can create change are the footballers, because they are the ones who play."
Meanwhile, Simeone has backed new strikers Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez to come good, with both players having just one goal apiece so far this season.
"I have no doubt that with time and the partnerships that we will create, they will perform better. It is our job to make them feel better and it is their job to transmit to us those partnerships that are generated in football," Simeone said.
