Simeone only focused on A Coruna as Atletico fly high in LaLiga

Diego Simeone, coach of Atletico Madrid, remains focused on Saturday's match against Deportivo A Coruna, disregarding the ongoing rivalry with Barcelona. Atletico currently sits in second place in LaLiga, trailing Barcelona by five points and one point ahead of Real Madrid, who are set to face each other in the first Clasico of the season on Sunday.

Simeone acknowledged Atletico's potential to contend with Barcelona, stating, "Yes, it's possible to compete. You can always compete," during a press conference. However, he declined to engage further on the Clasico, emphasizing the need to concentrate on the upcoming match against Deportivo.

Deportivo A Coruna has demonstrated strong performances recently, securing victories across all their matches. The team faced Atletico in the cup last season, with the game turning out to be a challenging encounter for the former. Atletico aims to secure their sixth consecutive league win, while Deportivo, currently in ninth place, has yet to taste victory in their last five matches.

A reunion is in store for Simeone, as Jose Maria Gimenez, his defender on loan from Atletico, will be facing Deportivo after spending 13 years with the club. Simeone expressed his admiration for Gimenez, calling him one of the most significant centre-backs to have played for Atletico Madrid. He wished Gimenez well after the Saturday match.

Additionally, Atletico will be without Johnny Cardoso due to injury, and both Koke and Cuti Romero are also expected to miss the game. However, Lee Kang-in is expected to be fit and available for selection.