Lookman or Arnau Ortiz? The debate over Simeone's attacking options

Rubén Uría believes that if Lookman fails to deliver against Levante, Bayern and Barça, Simeone will hand minutes to Arnau Ortiz. Nacho Donado sees Arnau's treatment as unfair, while Marcos Durán argues this is how Simeone protects the dressing room.

Rubén Uría makes it clear he is speaking from a hunch rather than inside information: if Lookman fails to wake up during the run of games against Levante, Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona, he believes Simeone will end up bringing in Arnau Ortiz, given how many chances the Atlético coach has been giving the Nigerian.

Nacho Donado raises an awkward question: what is Arnau supposed to think when, after his most influential performance, against Real Sociedad, he has not played a single minute since?

Marcos Durán is less categorical. He recalls that Simeone always handles his senior players the same way, giving them one more game, just as he did with Giménez, who would come on in the closing minutes when many were asking why a youngster wasn't getting the nod instead. He puts it down to Simeone's way of looking after the dressing room and keeping his players' morale up, and does not expect that to change. Arnau, he says, will have to keep training and be ready.

Nacho understands the argument and accepts that Lookman is a major asset in whom Simeone is investing minutes, as he did with Giménez, but warns that there comes a point where that investment turns into a loss.