Atletico Madrid’s bad season is my fault

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has said he is responsible for the club’s poor start to the season, but also refused to confirm the star striker. Joao Felix wants to leave the club.

Atletico – who return to action on Thursday against Elche – are fifth in LaLiga and crashed out of the Champions League, finishing last in their group, leaving football out of the Europa League.

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This financial blow allowed the club to move forward Matheus Cunha to join Wolves, while Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin said earlier this month that Felix could leave if the right offer arrived.

– We had four players in the World Cup final [Antoine Griezmann, Rodrigo de Paul, Nahuel Molina and Angel Correa] and three of them played a lot,” Simeone told a news conference on Wednesday when asked about his team planning. “We have a good team. Maybe the coach is the one not doing what they should.

“There are good players here. Joao [Felix] was a sensation at the World Cup. [Yannick] Carrasco and Axel [Witsel] started for Belgium. We have important players. I have to improve so they can raise their level in LaLiga… we are having a bad to average season and it’s not about the names.

“They are the same as last season and the same as the ones who won the league… It’s the coach more than anything.”

Atletico went into the World Cup break with just one win from five league games, including draws with Rayo Vallecano and Espanyol and defeats to Cadiz and Real Mallorca.

Meanwhile, Simeone’s management of Felix has been questioned, with Gil Marin citing a “relationship [Joao] and the boss’ as one of the reasons, pointing to a potential January move linked with Premier League sides Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

When asked about working with Felix, Simeone said: “It’s a good working relationship. There can always be problems between people, we can’t agree on everything, but I’ve always looked for the best for the club.

“I care about the team. He is an important player, if we manage to get what we saw in the first games at the World Cup, he is really important. He has talent and the team needs his qualities.”

Simeone also refused to comment on reports that Atletico could be interested in swooping for Real Betis Borja Iglesiasif Felix left.

“You know I’m not talking about players who are not here at the club,” he said. “I’m focused on getting the most out of what we have here.”