LaLiga2 hours ago2 minute read

Simeone Expresses Great Respect For Mourinho Before Derby

Diego Simeone and José Mourinho will face each other in Sunday's Madrid Derby for the first time since 2014.

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Simeone and Mourinho Meet Again

Diego Simeone and José Mourinho are set to face each other again on Sunday in the Madrid Derby. It is the first time the two managers have met on the pitch since 2014. Mourinho's Real Madrid currently lead Simeone's Atlético Madrid by two points after six games in LaLiga, with both sides trailing league leaders Barcelona.

The last time these two managers met in a competitive match was in April 2014 during the Champions League semifinals, when Atlético knocked out Mourinho's Chelsea. Their last Madrid Derby meeting was a year before that, which ended in a 2-1 win for Mourinho's Real Madrid.

Simeone spoke highly of his rival ahead of the match. He said he has huge respect for Mourinho and has been an admirer of his for a long time.

Squad Updates and Tactics

Atlético Madrid have had a tough start to the season in attack. Alexander Sorloth is out with an injury, and Julián Álvarez has seen limited action after his attempt to join Barcelona this summer. However, new signing Jonathan David has performed well, scoring two goals in his last two games.

Álvarez started against Liverpool on September 9 and got an assist, but then missed matches against Real Sociedad and Osasuna. Simeone confirmed that Álvarez will be in the squad on Sunday, though he has not decided if the forward will start or come on in the second half.

Mourinho's Real Madrid side has only lost once this season, which was against Real Betis. They are coming off a 3-2 win over Elche on Tuesday. Simeone warned that Real Madrid are dangerous on the counter. He noted that they look for Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Junior when they win the ball, meaning Atlético must avoid turnovers.

Atlético added several new players this summer, including David, Cristian Romero, Alex Grimaldo, and Kang-in Lee. Simeone advised his new players to stay calm under the pressure of the derby.

What it means for the next game

Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid (LaLiga, Sun, 20 Sep): Atlético Madrid win 28%, draw 26%, Real Madrid win 46%; expected goals 1.19 to 1.58. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals.