Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Simeone pleased with Atletico's effort, Fernando Torres' entrance

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said he was happy to have taken a point against a direct rival when speaking after Sunday night's hard fought 0-0 draw at Sevilla.

After a tight 90 minutes which ended with zero goals, but eleven yellow cards [seven for the visitors], the defending champions had dropped further behind La Liga's top two of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

However the result Atletico moved back into the third place, a point ahead of Valencia, while Sevilla remain down in fifth and now a full seven points off the Champions League qualification places.

The rojiblanco coach told his postgame news conference at the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan that he was leaving happy as he saw Sevilla as one of Atletico's "peers" in the La Liga standings.

"It is a good point because we were competing against a direct rival," Simeone said. "There were two well-organised teams, each trying to play to their own strengths. We could have pushed the game to our side in the second half with our counter-attacks. I was delighted with the effort put in by those who played. I was not wrong when I said Sevilla would fight for the European places."

Substitutes Fernando Torres and Koke had helped Atletico to break with more danger and hold the ball better in the second half, and Simeone said he was very happy with both players' contributions.

"With Koke's entrance we brought the ball out better from the back, and were able to connect with the attack," he said. "Torres' entrance makes me very happy. We need men like him, with his enthusiasm. We need people like that, who see that there is nobody more important than the team or the coach."

A downside from the game were the yellow cards shown to Atletico duo Antoine Griezmann and Miranda, which means both key players are now suspended for next Sunday's crunch game at home to Valencia.

Simeone did not speak directly about potential replacements, but did say that youngster Saul Niguez was recovering well after picking up a painful stomach injury in Wednesday's 1-0 Champions League defeat at Bayer Leverkusen.

"We have spoken with him and he is recovering well," Simeone said. "We will have him back soon competing for the playing time that he wants so much."

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