Llorente: Simeone's Wildcard for the Midfield
Marcos Llorente is emerging as Simeone’s solution to cover the absences of Barrios and Koke in the crucial match against Valencia. El Cholo, always looking for alternatives, has been testing different formations, including a three-man midfield line where Llorente has stood out as a pivot.
Although training sessions have focused on various strategies, such as set-piece plays and finishing with players like Griezmann, De Paul, or Giuliano, the insistence on Llorente as a replacement in the central midfield underscores the coach’s confidence in his versatility.
This move implies a return to the origins for Llorente, recalling his beginnings before his arrival at Atlético. In training, Llorente has looked comfortable and adapted to this role, recovering the automatisms of his original position.
In addition, the test allowed observing that Gallagher, another of the players in the coach’s sights, performs better as an interior, taking advantage of his ability to cover ground and his dynamism in the game.
Another positive piece of news is the reincorporation of Giménez to the group, after a blow suffered in the match against Celta. The Uruguayan defender has been testing different combinations in the back, which demonstrates the tactical flexibility that Simeone seeks to implement in the team. In summary, the tests carried out by El Cholo confirm the bet on Llorente in the pivot, a decision that could be key to the team’s success in the next match.
