Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid staying positive after tough week

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has denied there is an air of negativity within the camp after a bruising Champions League defeat by Benfica.

Atleti have endured a difficult week, losing 4-0 in Lisbon on Wednesday evening three days after their 1-1 derby draw with Real Madrid was marred by crowd trouble which has resulted in a fine and a partial closure of their Civitas Metropolitano Stadium for three games.

The midweek defeat was their first in 10 games in all competitions to date this season and Simeone will be looking for a concerted response in Sunday’s LaLiga clash with Real Sociedad at the Reale Seguros Stadium.

Asked if there was a negative atmosphere surrounding his squad, he told a press conference: “I absolutely do not think that. I believe the atmosphere we have is good and that we are working towards the team we want to have.

Major funding boosts for Gaelic games in Down and Cavan

Red Bull spreading wings but no love for Leipzig

“We lost a match, played poorly and when you play poorly, you have a high probability of losing. Let’s see if tomorrow we can put in a great performance against a great rival like Real Sociedad.”

Simeone’s men headed into the weekend sitting in fourth place in the table, and they will have high hopes of adding to the 16 points they have collected from their first eight games against a side who have won just twice in the league so far and went down 2-1 at home to Anderlecht in the Europa League on Thursday night.

However, they will be without midfielder Marcos Llorente, who limped off with a thigh injury just 33 minutes into the Benfica game, and defender Robin Le Normand after he suffered what was described as a traumatic brain injury in a clash of heads with Real’s Aurelien Tchouameni.