Nacho Donado on Simeone spat: 'They play what he wants them to'

Nacho Donado explains what he wanted to ask Simeone and why he didn't press further: the message was clear. Rubén Uría sees it as a good-natured spat, with a wink from Simeone.

Rubén Uría links up with Nacho Donado again and greets him with the joke of the day: "How many minutes do Jonathan David and Kang-in Lee have to play?" Nacho makes clear that he wasn't trying to dispute how Simeone shares out playing time at Atlético de Madrid, but wanted to know the reason behind it: whether it was physical, technical or a search for alternatives.

He wanted to point out that Jonathan David has gone three games without starting and that Kang-in has been in and out of the side and had a problem in Stuttgart, but the exchange went no further. He understood that they play what Simeone wants them to play, and says he thinks that's fantastic and that he didn't take it badly.

Uría stresses that Simeone was far from annoyed or angry. Quite the opposite: he had wanted to answer in good spirits, in a relaxed and friendly tone.

Nacho Donado remarked that, at this press conference, Simeone seemed to have faced the media intent on not answering what he was asked, by anyone, except for the question about Johnny Cardoso.