Atletico Madrid Manager Diego Simeone Preaches 'Stand Up and Be Strong' After Draw With Eibar

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone walked away from his side's frustrating 1-1 draw against Eibar on Saturday in La Liga with a glass half-full mentality,

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone walked away from his side's frustrating 1-1 draw against Eibar on Saturday in La Liga with a glass half-full mentality, stating that his team have to be mentally strong.

Los Colchoneros' attacking drought continues to linger around the Wanda Metropolitano, scoring only three goals in their first four outings in La Liga as strikers Diego Costa and Antoine Griezmann have failed to fire early on in the season.

The result left Simeone's side in fourth place after full-time with only one win on the board, a bad start for the red side of Madrid despite being tipped as title contenders at the start of the season. Summer signing Thomas Lemar was substituted just before the hour mark after a very uninspiring performance.

Diego Simeone has a point.🤔 pic.twitter.com/ePNl9oM4lL

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Quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Simeone remained positive despite his side dropping more points in La Liga, as he expressed his thoughts on the game in the post-match press conference.

"The team had important situations in the first half to take advantage of the rest," he said. "In the second we start the same, generating important situations. His [Eibar's] goalkeeper was a goalkeeper, we made a goal from center side in the 87th minute and the team returned to continue attacking, making a goal and more chances. 

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"We gave everything we had to give. We had chances, we generated games, sometimes moving the ball. His goalkeeper was the figure, we have Savic injured, Arias and Lucas today. It's time to hold on and be strong."

Simeone explained why he subbed off midfielder Rodri, who was controlling the game and was the best player for Atleti, in a decision that resulted in boos from the home crowd.

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"I do not think the game was out of control," he remarked. "The team could win and they could go out, Saul or Koke. He understood that they could generate a better attack transition and put Borja in First Division and that in his first match he scored a goal.

"The whistles? It's okay, people come to the stadium, it's impulsive, they see that a footballer is playing well and wants him to continue. The coach works with them and puts a boy who has a nose for goal, and makes a goal."

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The 19-year-old midfielder Borja Garces was the hero for Simeone's side as his late goal salvaged a point for them, and believes the youngster is a work in progress, adding: "Borja is working with us since pre-season.

He has good qualities, he scored in Nigeria, in another one in Singapore. He is close to goal. You have to take it little by little, you do not have to hurry it."