Atletico Madrid’s coach is fully focused on their upcoming Copa del Rey quarter-final match against Getafe, leaving no room for thoughts of their derby against Real Madrid just yet.
In the latest La Liga round, Madrid’s two teams had contrasting outcomes. Atletico Madrid secured a victory, while Real Madrid suffered a loss. This result means the gap between the top two teams has narrowed to just one point. Atletico now has the chance to rise to the top of the table by defeating their city rivals in the next round. However, coach Diego Simeone isn’t thinking about the derby at this moment. His entire attention is on the Copa del Rey match against Getafe.
Currently, Getafe sits 14th in La Liga, just three points above the relegation zone. However, they’ve been unbeaten this year, having drawn 1-1 with Barcelona among their six-match unbeaten run.
Atletico will face Getafe at home on Tuesday in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. After that, they’ll travel to play Real Madrid in La Liga on Saturday. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Simeone emphasized that his focus is entirely on the upcoming match against Getafe.
“We take it match by match, day by day. We’re not thinking about anything beyond tomorrow’s (Tuesday) game,” he said.
“In the last few matches, Getafe has played against Real Sociedad, Barcelona, and Sevilla. They know what they’re fighting for, and when a team knows what they’re fighting for, they become dangerous.”
Getafe hasn’t beaten Atletico since 2011, but in their last encounter last December, Atletico had to work hard to secure a 1-0 win in La Liga.
In the La Liga standings, Real Madrid leads with 49 points from 22 matches, Atletico follows with 48 points, and Barcelona is third with 45 points.