Carrasco re-joins out-of-sorts Atletico ahead of Real and Liverpool games
Diego Simeone has not ruled out further deadline-day arrivals, with Edison Cavani a target.
by The42 Team
YANNICK CARRASCO HAS re-joined Atletico Madrid from Dalian Yifang on loan until the end of the season, with Diego Simeone bolstering his squad ahead of a league clash with Real Madrid and the Champions League last-16 tie with holders Liverpool.
Atleti have been in woeful form of late, and are without a league win since 4 January. They have dropped out of La Liga’s top four, are now 10 points behind leaders Real Madrid, and were beaten in the Copa Del Rey earlier this week by third-tier Cultural Leonesa.
Belgium international Carrasco trained with Atletico prior to confirmation of the deal being announced today and Simeone hopes to be able to call upon him in the La Liga meeting with rivals Real at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
The 26-year-old joined Atletico from Monaco in 2015 and left for Chinese Super League side Dalian in February 2018, but Simeone is pleased to have him back.
“[Carrasco] is excited and wants to be here,” said Simeone. “If the paperwork is done, he will certainly be with us [against Madrid].
“I want him to come with the same commitment we spoke about on the telephone. I liked Yannick’s desire to come to Atletico. That is an important step for what can happen next.”
Simeone is also not ruling out further deadline day signings for a side that has scored just once in their last four games.
Atletico reportedly failed with an €18million bid for Edinson Cavani, whose contract at Paris Saint-Germain will expire at the end of the season, but there may still be new additions on deadline day.
“There are still a few hours left. Anything can happen,” said Simeone.
Zinedine Zidane spoke out in support of his cross-city counterpart on Friday and Simeone was thankful for his words.
“It’s nice when a colleague of Zidane’s quality thinks this way. I return the message,” said the Argentine.
“He is the ideal coach for Madrid. He has the rank and the ability to do what he feels. He returned to compete like he had before he left.
“Madrid have improved a lot defensively. They are very strong. They have many options in attack and that allows him to play with different players.
“It will be a match where the details and intelligence will have a lot of dominance.”