At around five o'clock yesterday afternoon, the list of players called up for the match between Atlético de Madrid and Juventus in Gothenburg was published. The last test before the first match that will kick off LALIGA 24/25. For this match, Cholo has several new players in the city in the south of Sweden.
Antoine Griezmann against Getafe | Europa Press
Without Jan Oblak but with the internationals
The Slovenian goalkeeper will not be travelling with the red-and-white team. His absence from the last few training sessions, staying in the gym to work, has meant that Diego Pablo Simeone does not want to take any risks and leaves Jan Oblak in Madrid.
In attack, João Félix remains in the squad, as he has been for the last three games, followed by Alexander Sørloth, Ángel Correa and Giuliano Simeone. The main new addition is the call-up of Antoine Griezmann.
The Mâcon striker was unable to travel to the previous match in Hong Kong due to a specific training plan. To arrive in the best condition and prevent injuries during the year, Luis Piñedo's technical team is doing personalized work with several players such as 'Grizzi'.
'The Little Prince' is now ready
However, Antoine Griezmann is now ready to face his first minutes on the pitch before the start of the official season. And it will be against a world-class rival like Juventus, with the recently signed Thiago Motta.
His participation during the season is seen as key to the goals of Atlético Madrid, and knowing how to distribute his minutes is of the utmost importance to him. Being in top form for the final days, when the titles are decided, is an issue that he must resolve in order not to make the same mistakes as last year. In that season, it was clear that when the Frenchman ran out of gas, Atlético de Madrid's performance dropped.
No matter how many new signings there are, he is the brain of Cholo Simeone's team. A player who thinks like a prodigy and executes even better, he must nevertheless be fresh in his legs to continue being a difference-maker. And that can only be achieved by distributing minutes, self-regulating efforts during matches and adequate physical preparation.
In this sense, Luis Piñedo has modernised the preparation, creating personalised training sessions that will be a plus for all those players prone to injuries. Cases such as Thomas Lemar and Jose María Giménez are two clear examples of those who will possibly benefit the most.
