Soccer

It doesn’t make sense – Diego Simeone wants LaLiga games postponed after floods

Atletico Madrid will play their scheduled match against Las Palmas on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone questioned the decision not to postpone their La Liga match
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone questioned the decision not to postpone their La Liga match (Andrew Milligan/PA)
By Rachel Steinberg, PA

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone was baffled by the decision for Sunday’s LaLiga match with Las Palmas to go forward in the aftermath of devastating floods in Spain.

Authorities have recovered 211 bodies after heavy downpours triggered flash floods in the eastern part of the country, while the search for an unknown number of missing people is ongoing.

Two LaLiga matches, Villarreal against Rayo Vallecano and Valencia against Real Madrid, have already been postponed, but Simeone suggested decision-makers had not gone far enough.

Authorities have recovered 211 bodies after heavy downpours triggered flash floods in eastern Spain (Manu Fernandez/AP)
Authorities have recovered 211 bodies after heavy downpours triggered flash floods in eastern Spain (Manu Fernandez/AP) (Manu Fernandez/AP)

Speaking at a press conference, the Atletico boss told Spanish media when asked about playing the match: “It doesn’t make any sense.

“What is happening is very hard. The people who went out into the street to help, who with a shovel and their tools try to collaborate, that speaks very well of the country, of the people, and we want to help where we can.

“There are people having a very bad time, it is very sad and they tell us to carry on and here we are, carrying on.”

Simeone’s side have a long history of success at home against the Canary Islanders having suffered just two defeats in 31 home league meetings, winning 16 times of their last 20 and drawing four.

They defeated 10-man UE Vic in Thursday night’s Copa del Ray first-round clash, bouncing back from last Sunday’s 1-0 La Liga defeat to Real Betis.

The visitors travel to the Spanish capital in good form, however, collecting maximum points from their last two league contests.

A number of injuries have resulted in the Atletico boss leaning on less tested starters but Simeone was confident the likes of Javi Galan, Clement Lenglet and his own son Giuliano Simeone are eager to make a contribution.

He added: “We have a few injured players. We compensate with these lads who are enthusiastic and eager to show why they are at Atletico de Madrid and we hope that tomorrow we will focus on the importance of the match and that they will lead us to what we want.”