Atletico Madrid strikers Costa and Morata cannot currently play together, admits Simeone

Tom Webber

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Atletico Madrid strikers Costa and Morata cannot currently play together, admits Simeone image

Atletico Madrid are not currently capable of playing with Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa together in attack, according to Diego Simeone.

Costa only returned from three months out with a back injury shortly before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, while Morata has scored 12 goals in 32 appearances this term. They have started together five times in all competitions in 2019-20.

Simeone will be unable to select the suspended Joao Felix when Atletico play their first game in over three months against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Sunday.

The head coach has looked at using midfielder Marcos Llorente, who scored twice when Atleti eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League at Anfield before the coronavirus stoppage, as an attacker in a bid to give his team greater balance.

"We manage different situations and Marcos gives us important alternatives, where we can play with three in the middle and [Yannick] Carrasco as striker," said Simeone on Saturday.

"I think that Marcos has a very good physical condition and good finishing from behind the striker. He already showed it when some people thought taking out Costa for him at Anfield was a defensive change and he was key.

"On the possibility of putting Costa and Morata together, it is not the same as in pre-season. Now I cannot take advantage of both together because I do not have a team prepared to sustain the two forwards.

"I prefer to harness the power that each one has separately until at some point they can play together. That's why I explain why Alvaro and Costa do not play when Alvaro is available."

Simeone's assistant German Burgos will leave Atleti at the end of the season to pursue a career as a head coach.

"I have absolute gratitude to German, he is essential. I am grateful for the time German has given me and we have shared professionally and personally," said Simeone.

"It's a very important decision and he will face many challenges that will motivate him. Some of the players have already commented on what German has given us and when he finishes, we wish him the best."

Tom Webber