Overview
- A 5-1 loss at Villarreal on Sunday sealed Atlético Madrid’s drop to fourth place in LaLiga and ended a 61-match season that combined deep cup runs with poor domestic form.
- Captain Koke called the league campaign “a disaster,” saying the team failed to fight for the title and left the dressing room with a bitter taste after the final-day thrashing.
- Coach Diego Simeone defended the season’s overall work as between good and very good while admitting the team conceded too many goals and must improve defensively to compete at the highest level.
- Reports say Julián Álvarez has turned down a new contract offer and Simeone said the decision on Álvarez’s future is for the player to make, leaving the striker’s status unresolved going into the summer.
- Finishing below Villarreal reduces prize money by about €7m and, with new investor backing from Apollo Sports Capital, the club now faces a busy summer of transfers and squad rebuilding to address the defensive issues.