Simeone Targets Third Place Before Villarreal Cf Vs Atlético Madrid Standings
Diego Simeone said Atlético Madrid want to finish as high as possible, and in villarreal cf vs atlético madrid standings that means third place before Sunday’s visit to Villarreal. He said the club had stayed below third place all season, so this match can still shape how they close 2025/26.
Simeone’s third-place push
“It’s clear that tomorrow’s match is important if we want to finish the league season stronger than we have all season, because we’ve always been below third place, if I’m not mistaken. Let’s hope we can stay focused on playing a good game and, as a result, finish as high as possible, which in this case would be third place.”
That was the core message from his final pre-match press conference of 2025/26. Atlético go into Sunday still chasing the best finish available to them, and Simeone framed the trip to Villarreal as the chance to make that jump.
Atlético’s attack and defense
He also pointed to a split in Atlético’s season. “To break down the season a bit, I believe we’ve improved a lot on the offensive end, as we’re a team that, despite the criticism, plays well, attacks well, we scored a lot of goals in the Champions League, we scored a lot of goals in La Liga, and the Copa del Rey is no different, but we need to improve defensively,” Simeone said.
That balance is the issue heading into Villarreal. Atlético have produced goals across three competitions, but Simeone said the next step is tightening up at the back if they want the table to finish in their favor.
Villarreal’s final home game
Villarreal bring their own edge into the match. Simeone said they want to finish on a high note in their final home game, with Dani Parejo’s departure and the coach’s departure part of the setting, while still keeping the classic style they have shown through the league season.
He added that adapting to Atlético de Madrid and to La Liga is not easy for many players, and singled out Vargas as “a hard-working guy, eager to grow, eager to evolve, willing to listen, and, above all, to follow what the coach and the team need.”
The wider season conversation also reached beyond Sunday. Simeone said he read Pep Guardiola’s explanation at a press conference yesterday and felt a strong connection to what Guardiola was describing. He said Atlético competed very well this season and that next season will hopefully be even better, while he, Mateu Alemany and Carlos Bucero keep seeking what is best for the team.
