Simeone: "First we are a group and then a team"
After the big victory, the Argentine admitted that his team is looking comfortable and playing fluidly. The intensity did not decline despite the large score line.
The first league match at the Calderon and the first win. Four days after facing Barcelona in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, Simeone introduced variations in the line up to maintain the level and intensity. "It makes me happy that Raul had such a good performance and scored two goals today. We need people to interpret that we are a group first and then we will be a team. We wanted to find a good second ball and having Raul on the field allows us to play a better passing game," he said praising the forward.
On the field the team was far superior to their rival. "We knew we could hurt them with a passing game and breaking from behind. We played with a very high pressure for much of the game.We were able to steal the ball to hurt them and that was what we wanted to do," he said.
With a large lead, the team never took their foot off the gas. They kept squeezing the opponent and applying the pressure where Simeone wanted. "I do not know how to play any other way. We handle this pace and felt comfortable." he said about the team’s intensity.
Despite trying numerous times, Villa could not get on the score sheet and appeared annoyed by it. "I love that he was like that. That says a lot about the player. Hopefully he can continue getting in those positions and eventually he’ll turn them in. He lives for goals and I like that he reacts like that," said the Argentine coach.
