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Atletico calls for unity after another loss
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IT had to wait almost two decades and in the end it only lasted a week — Atletico Madrid’s brief appearance at the top of La Liga, its first since 1996, ended on Saturday when it went down 0-2 at promoted Almeria.
It was a second successive defeat for Diego Simeone’s side following a 0-3 drubbing at Real Madrid in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semifinal first leg and Real, which beat Villarreal 4-2, climbed above Atletico on goal difference ahead of Barcelona’s match at Sevilla yesterday.
A win in Seville would put the champion level on 57 points from 23 matches with Real and Atletico but ahead on goal difference with 15 games left.
While it is too early to suggest that Atletico’s season is about to come off the rails, Saturday’s reverse on the south coast prompted a call for unity and hard work from captain Gabi.
Simeone has less strength in depth in his squad than far richer rivals Real and Barcelona, which has raised doubts about the ability of Madrid’s second club to compete effectively on three fronts and cope with the gruelling calendar.
Atletico is also through to the last 16 of the Champions League and plays its first leg at AC Milan on February 19 and there was more bad news for Simeone on Saturday as Portuguese midfielder Tiago was carried off with a knee injury.
“The team is angry but we have to lift our heads and work harder if possible to put this bad run of two defeats behind us as soon as possible,” Gabi told reporters.
“We will see whether this team has it in themselves to overcome it,” he added.
“We need to be more unified than ever. We have been in a privileged position (in the table) and we have the good fortune to still be up there.”
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