Simeone looks forward to Eibar with the possibility of Giménez in midfield

Atlético Madrid head to Eibar in its first LaLiga outing of 2017 with a head full of new ideas and the possibility of both José Giménez and Juanfran starting in midfield. To his credit, Diego Simeone had to do something to spark Atlético into life and he seems to have managed that in the two games since he moved Juanfran into right midfield and decided to deploy hard-man Giménez as a holding midfielder.

"Jose used to play there when he was young,” Simeone said during his pre-match press conference, according to AS. “He has spent some time playing there in the Copa and during the friendly in Saudi Arabia. It is an option to start the game with him there or put him there to close out games on occasion.”

Simeone also says he is pretty sure what Eibar will play like, directing play down the wings and also operating with an aggressiveness that his side must match.

Antoine Griezmann has not scored since the very start of October in a game against Valencia. Simeone, however, is not concerned with his talisman’s lack of fortune in front of goal.

"They don't worry me, not [Kévin] Gameiro, not Fernando [Torres] and not Griezmann,” Cholo said. “They have the goals within them and they will arrive. In many situations and to help the team, as long as the team is in a good run of form, everything combines with the arrival of that goal.”

Torres was touted as a possible starter instead of Gameiro, but Simeone was coy in the interview regarding El Nino’s place in his team and we will have to wait until tomorrow to see how he opts to pick his team.