The Argentine has reiterated his belief that the biggest difference between his side and the European champions is economic and is confident Atleti can cope without Diego Costa
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has once again claimed that the biggest difference between his side and city rivals Real Madrid is their respective budgets.
Both sides have spent over €100 million this summer, but while the Spanish champions recruited several players, including Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic, only James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Keylor Navas arrived at the Bernabeu.
“We’ve got seven or eight players with €95m, they bought two with €95m,” Simeone told the press before the two teams’ Supercopa clash on Tuesday.
“There’s a little difference. But the club has always had this creativity. We are forming the group, but the group is not just 11 players but 18 or 20.”
Simeone went on to say that his side would cope without Diego Costa, who joined Chelsea this summer after firing Atleti to La Liga.
“The team structure will not change,” the Argentine declared. “The intent and agression will be the same because it comes from the core. That gives us the stability to keep going with the same idea.”
Atleti lost the Supercopa de Espana last term to Barcelona on away goals and Simeone is keen to make amends this time out against Madrid.
“[The Supercopa] is more about money than it is real – it’s two games at the start of the season that television pays for,” he argued. “A final is a final, not two finals.
“Last year we were close. Now we have to make a major effort.”
Atletico travel to the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night for the first leg of the Supercopa, before hosting Madrid at the Vicente Calderon on Friday’s decider.