Diego Simeone gave his final pre-match press conference of the 2025/26 season on Sunday before Atlético Madrid travelled to Villarreal, laying out a simple objective: win and try to climb from fourth to third in LaLiga on the last day.
Simeone told reporters that Atlético have grown on the offensive end this season but still need defensive improvement. He reiterated that the team has spent the campaign below third place and that beating Villarreal would lift them into the top three. The immediate stakes are clear: Atlético sit fourth in LaLiga and can rise one spot with a victory at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
Behind the numbers, Simeone framed the match as a pressure test after a bruising spring. Atlético were knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal 2-1 on aggregate and lost the Copa del Rey final to Real Sociedad on penalties, results that make Sunday’s finish more than symbolic. Simeone pointed to those setbacks as part of the season’s arc but said the club’s mission remains constant: to reinvent the squad year after year.
He highlighted the squad turnover that followed last summer, when eight players left and Nico Gonzalez arrived at the last minute and provided help. Simeone also cautioned that adaptation to Atlético and to LaLiga is not easy for many players coming from other leagues, and he singled out one young player, Vargas, as industrious and willing to learn — attributes the coach said the club needs as it rebuilds annually.
Villarreal’s last game at the Estadio de la Ceramica carried its own emotional overlay. Marcelino announced earlier in the month that he would leave the club, and Dani Parejo is also departing; Simeone said Villarreal would want to finish on a high because of those farewells and because it is their final home match. The managers’ and players’ exits frame the fixture as both competitive and ceremonial.
Simeone contrasted Atlético’s search for balance with Arsenal’s recent form, calling Arsenal the most balanced team among those competing at the highest level and using that example to underline Atlético’s need to pair offensive evolution with defensive solidity. He returned repeatedly to the same point: the team has advanced in attack, but defensive improvements remain necessary if Atlético are to finish the season stronger than they have.
The coach also put the result in practical terms: the club wants to finish as high as possible — and in the present situation that means third place. That target carries tangible consequences for European qualification and for how the team approaches the summer rebuild Simeone described as ongoing. He reminded reporters that the mission at Atlético is to look for the best players for the team, saying the club’s progress depends on the quality of the players more than on coaches.
There is another subplot on the horizon that adds weight to Sunday’s lineup decisions. Antoine Griezmann is set to play his final match for the club before departing for Major League Soccer after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the end-of-season departures at Villarreal add emotional pressure for both sides. Simeone, who has won two LaLiga titles in 17 years as Atlético head coach, closed his presser by stressing awareness and focus: the opponent will be motivated by farewells, and Atlético must respond on the pitch.
The match now stands as a season-defining crossroads: Atlético can reward Simeone’s steady talk about reinvention with a climb to third, or the campaign will end with the team remaining fourth and facing a summer in which the coach’s call to rebuild will feel more urgent than ever.
