“We’ll give every player plenty of minutes.”
Atletico Madrid (AT Madrid) coach Diego Simeone has revealed that he will play all his players, including Antoine Griezmann, against Team K-League 토토사이트 (K League All-Stars) in his first match in South Korea since taking charge of the club.
“We are grateful to the fans for their hospitality from the airport,” Simeone said at a press conference at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday, emphasizing that the club will give Korean soccer fans the opportunity to see all of its players.
Founded in 1903, AT Madrid is a traditional powerhouse that has won 11 Spanish La Liga titles, 10 Copa del Rey titles and three UEFA Europa League titles. Last season, they finished third in the regular season behind Barcelona and Real Madrid. In addition to Griezmann, AT Madrid has a world-class roster that includes Koke, Alvaro Morata, Cesar Aspilicueta, Jan Oblak, and Memphis Depay. With Simeone confirming that all of his players will be available, soccer fans at the stadium will be able to see the best of the best in action.
Regarding the transfer of Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) to AT Madrid before and after the end of last season, Simeone said, “There was talk of that, but (Lee) signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain anyway,” and then added, “We will see if there are any Korean players who might be interested in playing against Team K League.”
“I think friendly matches (like the All-Star Game) help the club grow and bring more supporters to support AT Madrid,” Simeone concluded, adding, “We will definitely play at a good tempo (against Team K-League) and try to play something that will help us in the first game of the league next season.”
“The All-Star Game is an important event for the future of Korean soccer in that it can spark a boom in the professional league and give children a dream,” said Ulsan Hyundai head coach Hong Myung-bo, who is also the head coach of Team K League. “We have confirmed that there are no problems with the players’ physical condition, so we will prepare all players to play at least 45 minutes and play a loose game.”
Daegu FC’s Sejingya said, “It’s hard to pick just one player because it’s a team with a high level,” but he added, “If I had to pick one, it would be Griezmann. It’s an honor to be able to play against a player like Griezmann up close.”
After facing Team K-League at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 27th, AT Madrid will play their second game in Korea against last season’s UEFA Champions League winners Manchester City (English Premier League) at the same venue on the 29th.
