Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 7y

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone delighted with Antoine Griezmann goal

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone welcomed the return to scoring of striker Antoine Griezmann after the 2-0 win at Eibar on Saturday afternoon.

Atletico came into the game having won just two of their last six games in La Liga, and lost on their last two away trips -- but in their first league outing of 2017 brought a welcome three points with the goals coming from midfielder Saul Niguez and Griezmann.

Goals from the France international, third in the voting for the 2016 Ballon d'Or, had fuelled Atletico's victories earlier in the season but his late strike at Ipurua was his first in La Liga since October, while fellow forwards Kevin Gameiro and Fernando Torres have also been on barren runs.

Simeone told his postmatch news conference that it was vital for his side that their hard work at the back was then complemented by strikers taking their chances.

"We depend a lot on Griezmann's form -- to complete the work of the team," he said. "The same as Fernando and Gameiro. But the first thing is the hard work of the team, battling for every ball.

"We did great work as a team, working together to supply what the game needed, against a very strong opponent with great spirit. In the first half we found it tough, they were the better team, but in the second 45 minutes we were closer to what we were looking for."

Speaking on BeIN sports after the game, Griezmann said that the performance had been more like what people were used to seeing from Simeone's side.

"We have returned to being Atleti," Griezmann said. "We were good at the back, kept a clean sheet with 11 players defending. And up front we did damage with the few chances we had.

"It was a difficult game on a difficult pitch, but we gave everything. In the first half we found it tough to get into the game, but in the second half we were much better."

Part of a "back to basics" approach from Simeone, on the fifth anniversary of his return to the club as coach, saw centre-back Jose Maria Gimenez playing in a holding midfield role and struggle at times to deal with the new position.

"It went as expected," the coach said. "It is not easy to play in that position, and even less in a pressurised place like this ground. At half-time I told him it was normal what was happening. In the second half we were back playing like at the start."

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