News Focus
- Atletico Madrid skipper Koke slams the club’s La Liga campaign as a “disaster” following a heavy 5-1 defeat away to Villarreal
- The result means Los Colchoneros finish fourth, missing out on third place and approximately €7 million in prize money
- Koke contrasts the poor domestic form with successful runs in the Champions League and Copa del Rey
- Manager Diego Simeone defends the season, rating it as “good to very good” despite the final league position
- Transfer speculation grows over striker Julian Alvarez, with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly monitoring the situation
Atletico Madrid captain Koke has strongly criticised his team’s performance in La Liga this season. The 34-year-old midfielder spoke after the club finished their campaign with a heavy defeat on Sunday evening.
The Spain international appeared frustrated following the 5-1 loss to Villarreal at the Estadio de la Cerámica. This match marked the final game of the season for both sides. A victory would have allowed Atletico to overtake their opponents and secure third place in the table. However, Diego Simeone’s side conceded five goals for only the second time during the Argentine’s long spell as manager.
This marks just the second occasion that the Madrid club has finished fourth under Simeone. On all other complete seasons, they have ended inside the top three positions. Finishing below the Yellow Submarine also costs the club around €7 million in lost prize money.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Koke gave a direct and honest assessment of their league form. “It leaves a bad taste in my mouth,” he told Movistar+ via Marca. “The Champions League brought excitement. The cup competition went to a penalty shootout. However, our league form was a disaster because we failed to challenge for the title. We must finish higher next season and learn from this experience.”
However, Simeone offered a different view when speaking to Diario AS. “I was never good at giving grades at school,” he explained. “This season sits between good and very good. We reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and the final of the Copa del Rey. We played 61 games in total. Villarreal had a strong league season, yet they only fought in one competition. We nearly caught them. We enjoyed great moments, such as victories over Barcelona and Real Madrid. We brought joy to our supporters. Naturally, everyone wants to win the league title, not merely finish third.”
The club enjoyed their best cup runs for nearly ten years. Yet this is the second time in three years that they have finished outside the top four. The summer promises to be busy at the Metropolitano, with fresh investors Apollo Sports Capital providing new hope for the future.